About a month ago, my 89-year-old aunt passed away. When I was in about 7th grade, she sewed me a cape, a Sherlock Holmes kind of cape, fully lined, with a zipper in the front, and slits for the hands. With the little bit of fabric left, she made a matching skirt. I kept that cape and cherish it today.
I’ve been told that I am like my aunt – petite , calm and leisurely in our movements. We used to wear the same shoe size, 4 1/2, until I had kids and my feet expanded to a size 5, almost 5 1/2 today. Even under the pressures of cooking in the chaotic restaurant kitchen with waiters yelling for orders during busy the dinner hours, my aunt would calmly, though very quickly and efficiently, made every dish perfectly. I count it a great compliment to be considered in her league.
In both of the weddings I went to in the last 2 weeks, I was invited because I know the parents of the bride, not because I have any kind of relationship with the bride or groom. I am now at the age where I am invited to my friend’s children’s weddings.
The first wedding was all in Chinese, a Christian wedding with singing, scripture reading, words from the pastor based on the Bible’s teaching on marriage. While I didn’t understand it all, it was a beautiful and meaningful ceremony.
My cousin’s daughter’s wedding last week was totally different. The ceremony was brief, with a few words about love from the officiant, no prayers, no Bible verses, no singing. Somehow it didn’t seem right.
The occasion brought together relatives whom I have not seen for several years. My uncle, age 95, looked the same as he did 20 years ago. While he had to be pushed in a wheelchair, he handled himself in all other ways – ate well, remembered everyone, and was constantly bickering with his 80-year-old wife just the way we remembered them throughout their marriage. Some thing don’t change.
The first wedding was blazing hot in the afternoon sun of SoCal, and the second wedding was downright cold in the late afternoon dampness of San Francisco even in September. It was nice to witness young people just starting off.
My husband and I are celebrating our 25th anniversary this November…wow, I feel old.