Revised Narrative

17Sep09

Sitting in my jewelry box tangled in tiny chains of gold, large dangling earings, and a few silver watches, is a small gold wedding band and engagement ring. They are fused together with a modest fleck of diamond on top. This ring meant for someone with fingers much smaller than mine yet waits in there until the next time it is to be worn around my neck for a special occasion, or just for a day when I need some comfort. Most of my life I knew nothing of this ring or that it would become more of a memory then just possession.

When I was younger, summers meant that either my grandparents were going to visit from Florida, or we were going to take a 22 hour road trip down there. When my Mommom and Poppop came to visit they would arrive with their little rolling suitcases and would take them up to my room where they stayed for usually 2 weeks. This meant that I was to sleep on a tiny cot in my parents room but it was nice to have a change of pace. When they stayed over it seemed like everything was a little different. Early in the morning, when usually nothing is getting done, my Poppop would be out in the garden digging huge holes to plant bushed that my mom would forget to water once he left. Late at night my MomMom and mom would do laundry and talk for hours and hours. I used to say “You never pay attention to me when Mommom’s around. ”  I was jealous, but now that I’m older I understand.

When we went down to Florida, me and my little brother would take all of our blankets and pillows and turn the car seats into beds. They were like our mini mobile homes for a few days. Sometimes we went during Christmas. We’d help set up the fake white tree, putting on rainbow colored lights and red shiny Christmas balls. This was always fun and different because being Jewish, my brother and I still got to celebrate both holidays. Christmas morning we would wake up in our pajamas and go to the tree and my brother and I, open would presents. It was a hot sunny day in Florida but it was a special Christmas.

One time we went to church, just the three girls. We sat up top in the back and as the preacher spoke and I began to get more and more tired. Then the lights dimed and everyone in the Church lit their candles. Tiny little gleaming dots flickered over a huge auditorium while the church choir sang Christmas carols. The sound echoing through this massive room of people all together lending to the light. I had my own candle too and my mom looked at me, we were all together.

There are a lot of short vivid memories that float around in my head. Me sitting on my Poppop’s lap and him singing “I love you a bushes and a peck.” Or of late at night listening to my mom on the phone asking my Mommom for advice. The large red tropical looking flowers that grew outside of their home. My Poppop would pick one every day. Chickity birds that she liked watch out the window.

And then one memory that I will never forget, the look in my Poppops eyes the day of her funeral. Family was so important and even though at the time I was young and numb to what was going on I has stayed with me. My Bubbe and aunt on the other side of my family were there and I remember thinking that it was odd to see both sides of my family in one room. But they were all family and linked in a way that before I never realized.

But even now its not so much of sad memory. People talked and cried and sang and laighed, about who she was, the kind, sweet, loving soul of my Mommom.

The entire time I just pictured her smiling and listening and happy. She would have been so happy to know that in her life she touched to many people. I didn’t even know her the way other people did but everytime someone got up to speak it was like seeing a different side of her. She was happy. And she had always planned on giving me that ring.

While she was sick and skinny, and slowly drifting, away she was prepared. She knew what everyone was going to get, she had even planned her own funeral. Before our last trip to Florida she went through her all of her things and told my mom that this wedding ring would be mine. And now I still have it years later as a connection to her spirit and to all our my memories of us and the family.

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