Friday-May 7, 2021

Dear Marion,

   I love to travel and recognize this is a passion that is not held dearly by all, but I personally can’t remember a time when I wasn’t thinking or imagining a new adventure. We had a swing set in our backyard that I would swing as high as I could and imagine flying to Paris for lunch. Staring up into that blue sky in the comfort of our backyard it not only seemed possible but probable. You were the mom that encouraged my dreams and my imagination while expressing no doubt as to whether these ideas could be achieved. 

  In my mid-twenties, I was in a new job when I took my first trip overseas to Hong Kong and I was beyond excited. In my suitcase, there were piles of clothes carefully chosen for heat, humidity, and a level of creative professionalism. Toward the end of the trip, we were given a new task to achieve before returning home. To fill this request, we needed to add Paris, France to our itinerary(very different weather that time of year). Clothes...we didn’t have the proper attire for this new adventure and were told no problem as Paris will have all that you will need. On my stretched too thin budget it was exciting to be handed a credit card that I was not personally responsible to pay. As the plane brought the city skyline into focus, the lights were twinkling in the dark sky and I was caught off guard and brought to tears. Yeah, I know, surprising for me with all of my off-the-charts emotions. The tears just flowed silently as I suddenly remembered those days on the swings and all of my plans. Funny how my first professional trip brought me to Paris. I have been fortunate to be able to say many more adventures followed and I never took travel for granted as it was and still is a thrill for me. 

   Mother, mama, mommy, mommya, mom is the one adventure I had not dreamed about growing up, and yet it is and has been one of the most surprising, amazing, spiritual journeys I have taken thus far. It’s incredible to think I didn’t know I wanted this most important aspect of my journey and yet here I am and I can’t imagine my life path being without the chaos, joy, mind-numbing worry, and love that motherhood has bestowed. We choose our paths sometimes with intention and sometimes through happenstance. I have been thoroughly enjoying my walks this past month because there are new things to see each morning. New plants and trees are blooming and more birds are chirping their happy-to-be in spring song. The cherry blossoms were exquisite while they bloomed and for the first time, I was aware of how beautiful the petals were after wind and rain storms creating patterns along the path and curbs in neighborhoods, parks, and school drop-off driveways. These images brought a whole new concept of pretty in pink. Interesting what beauty we can find when we decide to really see what is right around us.

  I have picked up a book recommended by our local book store as I requested a book that may have heavy context but please nothing that has an ending that leaves me traumatized. At this moment in time, I am needing lighter subject matter as the news has been sucking the life out of me with talk of environmental worries, pandemic, immigration, economic, and probably the hardest for me is how we are all treating one another. As for the recommended book, Miss Benson’s Beetle, written by Rachel Joyce, it reminded me how very grateful we should be if we are fortunate to have a loving mother in our lives. This thing we call life can be beautiful but it can be challenging and more at times. While I can’t imagine the difficult years that Miss Benson(Margery) endured as a young child, they continued into her adult years as she was faced with WWII. It is post-war 1950 and life seems to be passing her by until a moment changes everything and her adventure begins. The story unfolds and immediately I thought how interesting to see how strong the human spirit can be when given the chance and more importantly when we are ready to take the first step. I love the characters and the way the author unfolds the story for the reader.

  When your grandchildren were little they asked to bake and cook in the kitchen sometimes with me in the lead and eventually often on their own. I continued the tradition you graciously let me begin when I was young to create my own recipes. I was young enough that I needed the step stool to stand at the kitchen sink to crack eggs for my recipe creations. There was something so exhilarating as I remember to not have to follow a written recipe. When your granddaughter first asked to bake without a recipe I immediately said yes because I remembered that feeling of exhilaration. At some point, she requested to have a friend over and she would encourage them to create as well. I have to admit sometimes the hardest thing was to sample some of these delicacies with a smile(there were truly some rock-hard cookies and cupcakes) and sometimes something would truly taste delicious. It was a relief on my part to simply be able to bite into the treat without fear of breaking a tooth and a gratifying win would wash over their faces. This week’s creation was not quite so risky as there was a base recipe that simply added 3 kinds of chips instead of the traditional semi-sweet chocolate. White chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and the traditional semi-sweet chocolate chips were folded into the recipe which half of us felt was an improvement but I think if we changed the base to a chocolate cookie it would be more perfect. That’s the funny thing about life and letting go, sometimes you discover other options that you hadn’t thought of and that you can’t imagine without once discovered. This time it was a recipe, next time who knows?

Talk soon,

Forever Yours

Quote:

“There are no goodbyes, wherever you are, you will always be in my heart.”

Mahatma Gandhi 

Indian Lawyer, Politician, Social Activist, Writer

1869-1948

Quote:

“There is nothing as powerful as a mother’s love, and nothing as healing as a child’s soul.”

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