Sunday, June 13, 2010

She is loved

I've been thinking a lot about my mom. I guess I've been missing her. She's usually in New York City at this time of year, in her little treehouse apartment across the courtyard (we call it that because of the way the trees dance at the windows). But she is more frail this year than last, and traveling less. She's in St. Lucia at the moment, planning to return to Jamaica to stay with my brother's two youngest while he travels to Houston for surgery in July. She won't make it up this way until perhaps August, when my brother's older daughter heads back north for college and can travel with her.

On June 11, my mom and dad would have been married 61 years. Here a photo of them as newlyweds in 1949, living in Spanish Town, Jamaica.


A couple of months later, they left for England so my dad could study law. They have been a traveling couple ever since, living first in London where my brother was conceived, then raising a family in Jamaica, then moving to Antigua and staying just long enough for me to meet my husband, and finally to St. Lucia, where my dad retired, and later died. My mom refuses to give up the house where she was last with him, even though she is so far away from us. But she has good friends of all ages in St. Lucia. She has people who love and take care of her like family. She inspires that.

Here is another photo I found while looking for the one of my parents as newlyweds. This is of my mother and me. I was not yet a year old.


Every time I look at this picture, I feel incredibly lucky. The delight my mother took in her babies is plain to see. Not every child is so blessed. I look at this and feel both gratitude for my own situation and sadness for children who never see this expression on a parent's face.

10 comments:

  1. What great photos! It's wonderful that your mom has a comfortable suportive environment in St. Lucia, even though she is far from you. I hope you get to see her soon.

    I love the new look of your blog! :)

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  2. What treasures those photos are! Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Wow - what a beauty. Now I feel really bad about my post!!!

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  4. such a touching tribute! you were so adorable! your face is exactly the same!

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  5. Moments and memories, even more precious with time!

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  6. your mother sounds so wonderful - sad her frailty is curtailing her activities and preventing her from returning to her nyc home.

    the photos are treasures...the one of you and her expresses mother love so much and now we all know you come by your wonderful mothering after learning from the master!

    thinking of you and hope to see you....but if not now - next time!! xxxx

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  7. ellen, thanks for appreciating!

    Expat mom, so glad you stopped by! I left a comment on your blog. Hope you saw it.

    Candice, you are sooo kind, lol.

    Isabella, i know you understand.

    mouse, my mom is indeed a master, but I am not sure I was as good a student. but thanks for the good thought anyway.

    much love.

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  8. thank you so much for visiting my blog, and taking the time to comment.
    I am touched that you would think to share it with your daughter.


    this post touched me... so the timing was perfect really.
    looking forward to reading here a bit.

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  9. deb, thanks so much for visiting and commenting! your writing is so lovely.

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