I've just been sitting here paging through some old pictures and letters, and I mean old. Some are pictures of my father as a baby (in the 1920's) with his mom and dad. Some are letters written by my mother and grandfather…I laughed and cried as I read the words of my mom, written March 4, 1943, addressed to my dad, shortly after she went on a blind date with him. My mom was engaged at the time,  but she writes, "he's told me to go out and enjoy myself as long as I don't get to like anyone too much. In which case I don't think he'd approve of you, but that's a mere technicality." Ha! That is priceless! My mom had realized and confesses to my dad, "Boiled down it means, I like you more than I dare admit. I hope you will want to see me again, and lets forget my ring, huh?" Wow! She also spelled my dad's last name the best she could ("Danderin", actually supposed to be spelled Dandurand), and she adds in a p.s. "If your last name is spelled wrong, it's for the simple reason that no one ever told me how it was supposed to be spelled." How amazing to read this copy of her letter in her own handwriting…

Another letter I read this day with tears in my eyes is from a father to his young Navy son, in his scratched penmenship, written so his son would not be without mail, "if it's in my power to do so." My grandfather, whom I never knew, wrote this letter, hoping his son (my dad) would get leave from the Navy, and  that this letter would arrive in Memphis TN, where he was stationed, about the same time his son had arrived home for a visit. That is precisely what happened. This letter, which was written on Nov. 1st, 1943, was most likely the last letter my dad received from his dad. My father arrived home to enjoy Thanksgiving with "his girl's" (my mom) family. My dad's mom and dad were invited to dinner, as well. After dinner, my grandfather collapsed in their living room. He died of a heart attack at the age of 51.  My father found the letter back where he was stationed in Memphis when he returned after the funeral.

Reading these mementos from my family's history, peering at the fading photograph, and trying to imagine the times in which they lived the prime of their lives gives me an aching heart…it is Mother's Day, 2011, and these were my parents and grandparents that I deeply miss, as all have passed away. But I am thankful to still have these precious glimpses into who they were…their love, their loneliness, their humor, and their pain….the stuff life is made of, and some day my children and grandchildren will see a picture, hear a song or read a blog entry I've written, and catch a further glimpse into the person their mom or grandma was…Happy Mother's Day!