Sunday, January 8, 2012

The Circle of Life

"That's the most beautiful Christmas tree I've ever seen!" Pat exclaimed. I admitted that it was a fake, because although I understand both sides of the environmental Christmas tree coin, it still makes me cry to cut one down - so the whole family has to live with Mom's neurosis and have the same tree every year.

"Doesn't matter. It's still the prettiest tree I've ever seen."

This was a huge compliment because Pat has seen 103 Christmases. Yup. One hundred and three. And, I would like to add, she loves my eggnog too. She gulped it down as though it didn't have rum, bourbon and brandy in it - or perhaps because she knew it did. A woman after my own heart! 

That was three weeks ago. Yesterday Nick, the girls and I had the privilege to spend time with her as she prepares to leave this world. A few days ago she suffered a massive stroke and although she can still think and understand, the paralyzing effects of the stroke make it extremely difficult for her to talk. As Cayenne and Acacia held her hands and I stroked her hair, I thought about how important everything happening in that room was: For Pat to have constant physical contact, rubbing her knobby thumb along those young little fingers holding her; for the girls to come face-to-face with the circle of life, and to witness someone they know completing it with dignity; for me to be reminded of the responsibility I have, currently straddling the generations, to guide the younger one and learn from them both; and for her son and our friend Carl to be surrounded by support right now.

It was a sobering contrast to the previous evening, but somehow they fit together, both marking life cycles. On Friday the 6th we celebrated The Birthday That Almost Wasn't (as one of you dubbed it). Now that Nick's passed his test of survival, he'll probably live to be 103 too, if his family's genes are anything to go by. So on yet another gloriously sunny and warm January day, Nick turned the ripe old age of 42. 

Just a Spring chicken, right Pat?

  

1 comment:

  1. Beautiful!! Thank you for sharing your life with us! Happy New Year to you all. Veronica

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