Today would have been Mom’s (Rochelle's) 79th birthday. She’d have had 28 additional years of living and loving than she did. Sally and I will go out for ice cream today as my 25 year-old twin boys, Alex and Zac used to do with me when they lived in Palo Alto. I started the ritual on her “yortzeit” – the anniversary of her death, but the boys said we should switch it to her birthday.
If she were still here, we’d start celebrating as soon as the sunrise streaked the sky in orange, ‘til three stars come out this evening. We’d have whisked her from her St. Louis apartment to a villa in Tuscany and we’d eat a seven-course meal all afternoon, sitting round a table like so many other Saturday afternoons - toasting her with one funny story after another. Josh and Mike (my brothers) would be there too, basking in the presence of the one person who knows and loves each worn and shiny part of us from the inside-out. We’d all state grandiose opinions and then laugh at them. We’d hike past vineyards woven in dark purple grapes, full to the bursting point. She’d have an arm around Zac and the other around Alex and they’d talk over each other in the rush to fill her in on their latest chapters. Not a second would be wasted or taken for granted.
Hi Elliot,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Pam Yurk, I'm Erin Huey's mom. Zac introduced me to your blog while they were on vacation with us in Michigan. I just wanted to say how much I've enjoyed it, and how nice it is to have the inside view into Zac and his family. It makes us feel closer to the kids, and to you.
Thanks for the great writing!