As mom and Alex's friend helped unpack I quietly set up a table in the foyer with family photos, my childhood bible that I read when I was 10 or 11. I felt duty bound to read all the begets in the Old Testament. To a ten year old, it was a lot of beget-ing. (not a word, I know)
I know stuff in the Old Testament some extremely religious people don't know but this isn't a challenge.
Mom was looking at the table and said, "where's Alex's kids?"
I said "Mom, that's the dead people's table. Every person and animal on it is dead. Alex's kids are living, those pictures are over there."
Mom started to laugh and cry, so did I and then we went back to work.
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A quote I saw on addiction/alcoholism by Father Martin: "If they weren't in so much pain, they wouldn't use so much painkiller."
Poignant, and true.
4 comments:
Father Martin is undoubtedly right, but that doesn't ease the pain of those of us left behind.
I am glad you and your Mom could have a laugh...unpacking is a ton of work too
I just love your honesty. The dead people's table...priceless. And sad and sweet all at the same time.
I have a dead relatives room in which there are family photos on the wall and all the people are dead. Strangely, they don't make me feel spooky. They were all kind people who were loved by me and my family.
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