What is there about time that is so fluid and collapsible? My mother died when I was 16. I am now 75. In the intervening 59 years, I have married, had a wonderful step-mother, had two children who grew to be amazing women, had grandchildren, lived through the death of my first husband and have had 17 years so far with a second. The blended family makes me the grandmother of 13 delightful young people from ages 27 to 2. Life has been broad and incredibly fulfilling. And yet - and yet - once in a while, like today at lunch preparing avocado and grapefruit salad, my mom is with me as if I had been in her kitchen yesterday.
I was very aware I cut the ingredients differently than she did. I use a different dressing because I never have found a French dressing that matches her homemade and I don’t have the recipe. I was overwhelmed by her presence. Like it was yesterday. Although I do not understand it, I am grateful for this accordion of time that allows for such love to be present.
2 comments:
Thank you, Susan...what a great phrase "accordion of time". That describes perfectly my experience today as I tried to introduce our 3 year old grandson to his "Papa" (my Dad) in pictures and stories. They would have SO enjoyed each other! And how hard it seems that the accordion for me will not (in all probability) ever exist like that for this 3 year old.
(This is Linda: think I may be on our daughter's account...mother to this 3 year old!)
Linda, my daughter Meredith is very connected to my mother. I'm not sure she started as early as 3 because then her grandmother was my step-mother. As time went by though and she began to ask the questions, she learned more and more about her "grandma Polly" - from me, from my aunt, and even from my step-mother who knew the time and the age. Grandson may come to love his Papa very much even though they are not physically together. Meredith now has my mom's china and a number of other things that were hers. She also write under my mother's name: Pauline Trent!!! Blessings to you, my friend.
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