Immediately after my father died when I was 16, I remember thinking about things that I wanted to tell him, things that made no sense at all. For example, wanting to share with him details of his funeral that he would have liked. Cold, hard reality snapped in and my teenage mind realized that of course, that wasn't going to happen.
Many years later, the death of my mother, I know she's gone, but there are life experiences that I'd love to share with her. Not as personally significant as the birth her first great-grandchild, but everyday things. For example, I just finished the autobiography of American Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor. My mom would have loved that book.They shared the same background as a child of very new Puerto Rican immigrants, my mother born just months after my grandparents emigrated, and both grew up in the Bronx. They also lived similar values of perseverance and doing the right thing.
In recent days we would have talked together about her being glued to the TV with the Papal goings on. Or I would have shared the fact that this week, great Dane that he is, my husband is cooking a Puerto Rican meal for 18 for my birthday!
I don't know the point of this post, I guess it's just a slice of life.
I know just what you mean. It will be 15 years next week since my mom died and I still want to call her on the phone and tell her stuff about my day. Sometimes I just want to ask her what I should make for dinner. I miss talking to her.
Posted by: Carole | March 13, 2013 at 05:25 AM
I'm like with my Nana....I "talk " to her every day, sharing things that I think she would have liked. She's been gone ten years last weekend.
Posted by: Kate | March 13, 2013 at 05:40 AM
My Dad passed away more than 22 years ago and there are still things that I want to share with him! And somehow I think that he knows, so I 'talk' to him all the time!
Posted by: Lene Lonnov | March 13, 2013 at 02:31 PM
My trip back to Puerto Rico recently (30 years since I was last there)brought lots of things I would have liked to have a conversation with both our Mom and Dad. Like the Officers Club that is an empty shell now, all the toll roads that have sprouted up, Old San Juan being just as I remembered it and many more things. Both good and not so good (like way too many car repair shops and fast food joints on the way to our Grandfather's home town of Barrenquitas )Brings the Barbra Streisand song to mind....Memories....Mmm. Mmm.
Memories, light the corners of my mind
Misty watercolor memories of the way we were.
Scattered pictures of the smiles we left behind
smiles we give to one another
for the way we were.
Enjoy your Puerto Rican Birthday dinner this weekend. I will being perfecting Mofongo for my family.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG SISTER of mine :)
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1151034849 | March 13, 2013 at 06:53 PM
I miss my parents too. Missing them has gotten worse over time ...I think because my own kids are grown up and I have more time to reflect on my growing up with such great parents. My Dad died in 1997 and my Mom 2001. For the last 12 1/2 years of my Mom's life she suffered a post operative stroke ...16 Days after her heart surgery. Her speech was affected and I couldn't hold a conversation with her after that. The most she could get out was about ten sentences in those 12 1/2 years. I guess that prepared me for her death when it finally came at the age of 89 1/2.
Your Birthday Feast sounds wonderful and the celebration of the Fine Arts put the ribbon on the Day. Happy Birthday and I'm sorry you lost your Dad at such a young age.
Posted by: Rosemary Foti | March 17, 2013 at 06:26 PM