It's been ten years since my Mother exited the
premises. Eleven in my Father's case. Sans a
direct connection to one's very start it might be
easy to feel like an orphan. However everyday
my parents are with me in mysterious ways.
Yesterday I made rice pudding with leftover
rice from Chinese takeout earlier this week.
Which I hadn't enjoyed for years beyond the
occasional mound served in a coffee shop in
Manhattan. That evening as we enjoyed said
just dessert... it was as if Ethel was sitting at
the table with us. Alive, well, and happy. A
perfect example of the ultimate in leftovers...
This morning I sang "Happy Birthday" to
my eldest daughter for the forty first time.
Reinforcing our strong connection till this
day. Fortunately for all of us there is one
primary benefit to technology. Which is
that we can see and hear our family via on-
line video chat options. The only problem
being that when I see what they see (as in
me) I'm always reminded of Jabba the Hutt.
Yesterday my youngest daughter sent me
photos of her two boys searching for beach
glass along the Lake Michigan shore. Her
fond childhood tradition she's passing on.
Things like rice pudding, birthday ditties,
and beach glass insure that each of us lives
on. In the most important spot imaginable.
The hearts and minds of those we love. As
always it's the simplest things in life that
create a long lasting impression. Insuring
that years after we're gone our love is still
an everyday occurrence. Hence just living
and loving is the best legacy. Something to
think about given most of us tend to over
complicate things. Ultimately most of the
foolishness that consumes us really doesn't
matter. It's the little things that count.
