Saturday, March 14, 2015

The tenth day


The tributes have been written and rehearsed, the photographs of a life gathered, the tears and laughs mingled. The granddaughters have gone to the plaza this morning for manicures in honor of their grandmother's always impeccable hands. The food trays have been ordered, the cakes baked, the wine and liquor laid in. The six-top tables are set up in the garden, waiting for their tablecloths. Mommy's ashes sit in an inlaid wooden box in her room, the programs with her face smiling up at us in tall stacks beside it.

Last night there was a great "nine night" celebration here at my brother's house, with drinking and rousing storytelling across the generations that went on till the wee hours. My brother's lodge brothers turned out in force and family and friends who had flown in from overseas also came by, some of them directly from the airport. My cousin Brian said, "Look around. This particular grouping of people may never again be together like this. We are all here to celebrate Aunt Gloria."

Today we lay our beloved mother to rest. I hope we will do her justice.


13 comments:

  1. And your beautiful mother will be right there with you all. This is what family is for and yours is wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. You will. She would be SO proud. I know it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am crying so hard. Love does that to me. It always does. Thank you for inviting us to a piece of her homegoing celebration. You are so very loved.

    ReplyDelete
  4. In the south we would say, you done good, you done real good. Yes, your mother would be proud of her family.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have already done her justice. She so obviously means so much to so many.

    xo

    ReplyDelete
  6. You do her more than justice...The love you show others you got from her and you will carry that forward because that is what she taught you all to do. She was an amazing woman and so are you.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your beautiful family, a tribute to your mother and to each other.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You are a glorious family. May you all be comforted in your grief.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Sounds like you all are celebrating her life in fine style. So wonderful that you are all gathering to share the family love. We are there with you. x0 N2

    ReplyDelete
  10. You will. You already have. And your family knows how to say Good bye.

    ReplyDelete
  11. So beautiful. Thinking of you and your family with love.

    ReplyDelete