ElderChicks

Funny, but I think of my mom often, even after 35 years. We’d had a sometimes stormy relationship, but the last years grew increasingly better.  I am grateful that we seemed to reach a peaceful place together.

She was a particularly good mother-in-law and a superb grandmother.  This was a woman who wanted peace and connectedness within her marriage and family.  I long ago came to understand that her own childhood was troubled by an uncertain marriage between her parents and she was determined to have stability in her own family. I just didn’t know the details, because she never spoke of them.

Perhaps my strongest memory is June 6, 1945, when a group of my parents’ friends celebrated the ending of the war.  They could hope their sons would be home soon. Mom was dancing on the coffee table in her joy.  It took my own parenthood to understand the trauma of sending your (then ‘boy’) children off to war.  Her son would be coming home!

I am glad she lived to see and exchange love with her grandchildren.  And that I have had the same privilege.

Happy grandmother’s day, all.