Catch a Memory

     Sometimes it's not much that catches me off guard. Even the smallest word or action can take me back in time so fast that I don't know what happened. Others around me of course aren't aware of what has transpired, but it is powerful none the less.  My mother, my father and my twin brother have all passed away, the four of us were the "immediate" family. I think about them frequently, actually it's intersting to me how I think about them almost everyday in some manner. At times all I want to do is share something with them, a bit of humor, some conversation, thoughts or feelings about something.  Just a moment to hear their voice, see their face, have an idle exchange. There is something though that I find difficult. It's the fact that I don't have anyone to share their life histories with that remembers them in the same way that I do. I feel that I am losing grasp of some of the memories, that the memories are slipping away and there is no way that I can get them back if they are lost. I want to remember everything and of course I can't. So I am pleased and thankful when an interaction, a word, a picture or an experience remind me of them in some way. And that makes me smile and be happy in my heart. It feels as good as a warm breeze on my face on a hot, still day.

Memories and Christmas Songs

Today I was shopping in a store with music was playing in the background, something that we hear but pay little attention to. We can go in and out of shops not even realizing that we have been listening to music. Oft times we're glad to get outside because it wasn't something we enjoyed listening to.  There has been a lot of study put into the types of music that will encourage shoppers to linger, feel relaxed and energized  in order to put them in the mood to purchase more. Not to forget that we celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanza at this season as well. But that is not what I felt today. Today, they were playing Christmas songs, too early for me, I'd rather they wait until after Thanksgiving, but it was playing regardless of my preferences. I found myself

The Art of being a Storyteller

Are you a storyteller? Long ago when I was a little girl, we would visit friends of my parents, and their elderly mother lived with them. I was excited to go there and my smile grew the minute I saw her. She was a tiny woman, traditional european in her dress, dark stockings, dark clothes that seemed a bit too big for her little body. A gold cross hanging from her neck, the chain catching a sparkle from the light as she moved. Small gold earrings with a semi precious stone dangling from them. She often wore a fringed shawl which fascinated

Language Awakening

Some of you know and speak more than one language. Some know one single language, and are content with that. Some of you are learning more languages. Bravo to you. For some it is easy, for others a struggle. I grew up speaking German, my parents coming here as immigrants after WWII. Both with only a 6th grade education, because war has no time for such luxuries as education. And although they spoke many languages albeit some better than others, German, Yugoslavian, Hungarian, Polish, Russian  they now had to learn one more, English. They were older, exhausted from the war, in a country where nothing was familiar,and found it difficult. I often was embarassed by their accents as a child, and proud of their accomplishments when I was older.They spoke German with my

Loved ones from the past

There are days that seem to bring an abundance of  memories from loved ones in our past. You have had days like this I know. Our memory can be jarred by so much. A photo, an old movie, a song, words, seasons of the year, a conversation. It can be just about anything. Most days it makes us appreciate what is good in our lives. It makes it hard to understand why things are the way they are with much in the world. How easy it is to be hateful and opinionated against other people and their ways. How sometimes it seems that people need to have a target for that anger. And how little it takes to try to be understanding, appreciative, keep a sense

A Memorial . . . what it means

I went to a memorial service today. It was for a neighbor that I knew, but not really well. But I was glad to have a chance to go and show respect, show caring and support to those that mattered to her, even if I didn't know them well either. Long ago, I used to wonder about