Wishing

Happy birthday to the woman who raised the man who is the love of my life, the woman who was such an amazing and wonderful Nana to my children and a gentle, loving and generous presence to me. My husband made floral arrangements for church, as he always does in honor of his mom's birthday. This year they were lavish red gladioli sprouting from freshly polished gold pots, set off by palms, in perfect symmetry on either side of the dark wood altar. I like to imagine his mom, from whom he learned the art of flower arranging, looking down and smiling, knowing that her firstborn's simple wish was—still is—to please her.