Rebellion was not an option. Ash Wednesday; sacrifice during Lent; meatless Fridays; the Way of the Cross; Holy Thursday; the rosary; Good Friday; Holy Saturday and the celebration of the Resurrection on Easter morning. It was a 6 week period of penitence, never ending religious services, and the ultimate endgame of Easter morning with an Easter egg hunt followed by ham, deviled eggs, green bean casserole, blueberry muffins and, an overdose of milk chocolate.
Mom also ensured we had brand new Easter outfits. She generally sewed my sister and I new dresses and matching coats. Easter bonnets were required in the days preceding Vatican 2.
After church my parents hosted Easter dinner after the requisite whiskey sours and lively conversation. Generally, a few elderly aunts with dementia held court talking about fantasy days of your. Uncle Mart had to be sprung from the drunk tank. Aunt Kate ground her cigarette ashes into the linoleum. My mother’s sister had a newspaper under her chair to catch the crumbs she routine dropped on the floor. Grandpa drowned his cigarette buts into his beer bottle that my brother sipped nonetheless. We thought it was
The years have flown by. People we’ve loved have left us. Time have changed. We have changed. But the precious memories of days gone by remain. If only I’d known what I know now. I never imagined how time would wound, take away my loved ones, create holes in my heart, change me, alter my view of the world, expunge my faith, shatter my psyche, steal my optimism, direct me to a path fraught with sadness, insecurity, instability, disappointment, discomfort and lack of direction. Part of me longs for those days of my innocent childhood when family dinners and Easter egg hunts surrounded by family and loved ones made life feel joyful and never ending. Damn! Adukting sucks !
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