I went to a wedding yesterday. It was Christian traditional and custom conventional, but the couples bounty of personal touches and radiant love made it one all the guests will remember. Today, I had reserved for relaxing and reading, so after cooking and enjoying a satisfying breakfast, I reclined into my couch with Kindle in hand. But as I put my feet up onto the ottoman, my eyes drifted to the bookcase that lines the wall in front of me. My gaze fell upon the plastic covered spine of my parents wedding photo album. No doubt yesterdays celebration influenced this detour. I brought it down from the shelf, and worked my way through it, turning the substantial cardboard bound photos, giving each one a few seconds of consideration, until I came to this one. Its of my mother and her parents performing the Jewish custom of Hakafot. Traditionally, after the bride walks down the aisle, she (and sometimes her entourage) walks seven circles around the groom before settling in to stand by his side, for the ceremony to begin. Her face. I cant stop staring at her face. My grandmother looks like a doe reading a license plate. My father looks like hes going to faint. My mother looks like shes having fun. That was May 25, 1969. She died in April 1977. I dont know the day. I was six years old. As she circled my father, she had no idea and he had no idea that shed not live to celebrate their eighth wedding anniversary. I dont remember her through our personal interactions. I remember her through her things, like the pile of loose plastic bingo chips that would shift around the kitchen junk drawer whenever I needed a pencil or some scotch tape, for years and years after she was gone. Her bingo prowess was that of legend! I have it on good authority that she would play no fewer than ten cards simultaneously while reading a book. What else did she like to do? What was the exact, single thought that made her smile like that? Who was she? Theres so much Id like to know. My SMITH Magazine | The Six Word Memoir Project [in MOMS]:
Posted on: Sun, 27 Jul 2014 22:13:38 +0000
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