I attended the funeral of a Garden Club member today. I have never met this woman as she joined my Garden Club in 1954 and served as president in 1955. With time she lost her husband and began to show symptoms of Alzheimer's. In 1998 she moved from New York to South Carolina to live with her son. I didn't move to New York until a couple of years later. I had heard stories of this fine woman but it wasn't until I attended her funeral that I felt I really knew her.
The pastor spoke eloquently of her life. Her son and her daughter both spoke. I remember phrases like, "Best Mother", "could see a coat in a NYC storefront and go home and make it", "went to Cornell at the age of 16", "married at 18", "had first child at 20". They related stories and fond memories of a good woman. It was mentioned that even with her Alzheimer's decease she always remembered two things: the Garden Club and her faith in Jesus Christ.
The thing that impressed me the most however, was a simple statement by her son-in-law. He said, "I don't have much to say but I think I want it said that you hear a lot of jokes about Mother-in-laws. None of them applied to "Ga". She was a fine Christian woman". What a summary of one's life; What a tribute.
Rest in peace, dear lady.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
From the Blog of an online friend...
Diary of an unborn child
September 19:
Today my life began. My parents do not know it yet, but it is I already. And I am to be a girl. I shall have blond hair and blue eyes. Just about everything is settled though, even the fact that I shall love flowers.
October 3:
Some say that I am not a real person yet, that only my mother exists. But I am a real person, just as a small crumb of bread is yet truly bread. My mother is. And I am.
October 7:
My mouth is just beginning to open now. Just think, in a year or so I shall be laughing and later talking. I know what my first word will be: MAMA.
October 9:
My heart began to beat today all by itself. From now on it shall gently beat for the rest of my life without ever stopping to rest! And after many years it will tire. It will stop, and then I shall die.
October 17:
I am growing a bit every day. My arms and legs are beginning to take shape. But I have to wait a long time yet before those little legs will raise me to my mother's arms, before those little arms will be able to gather flowers and embrace my father.
October 27:
Tiny fingers are beginning to form on my hands. Funny how small they are! I'll be able to stroke my mother's hair with them.
November 4:
It wasn't until today that the doctor told mom that I am living here under her heart. Oh, how happy she must be! Are you happy, mom?
November 9:
My mom and dad are probably thinking about a name for me. But they don't even know that I am a little girl. I want to be called Kathy. I am getting so big already.
November 24:
My hair is growing. It is smooth and bright and shiny. I wonder what kind of hair mom has?
November 27:
I am just about able to see. It is dark around me. When mom brings me into the World it will be full of sunshine and flowers. But what I want more than anything is to see my mom. How do you look, mom!
December 8:
I wonder if mom hears the whispering of my heart? Some children come into the World a little sick. But my heart is strong and healthy. It beats so evenly: tup-tup, tup-tup. You'll have a healthy little daughter, mom!
December 12:
Today my mother killed me.
(Anonymous 1978)
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