Our first stop was to put flowers at the ashes for her good friend of 50 years who passed away two years ago. Every time I see this gentle lady in my mind, I picture her smile.
Then we drove into Honolulu to offer flowers and prayers for my grandfather, grandmother and father. The cemetery was festive with red flowers decorating all the grave sites.
"You'll be seeing your family again in Japan soon," I said. "The new year will be so busy with things to do."
"Oh yes, too busy," I saw her energy rising to the challenge. "We have the Christmas party and the New Years party...Tiffany and KC will come again in the summer..."
I'll bet she's figuring out what part of the house to clean first.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Holiday Remembrance
My mother wished to pay her respects today. She sighed during our car trip to the temple, "All my old friends are gone...every one of them. I think about them all the time."
19 comments:
I LOVE hearing from you!
However, if you sign in as ANONYMOUS, please don't forget to tell me who you are in the comment box by just writing your first name. We would all appreciate it if you kept your comment respectful and kind.
I apologize for having to use Word Verification occasionally, but the SPAM is making me crazy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Lovely flowers, Kay. So you're hosting 2 parties in a row? Lots of work! We are just hosting Christmas -- 14 people expected. I used to do New Year's Day, but have decided to make it a day of rest so David can face work on Monday.
ReplyDeleteBTW, are you going to travel to Chicago in January? I remember that you used to celebrate your wedding anniversary with friends who were doing the same.
ReplyDeleteActually, both parties are with my brother and his family. They live in an apartment and can't host so many people so it's always at our place. Then in January, we've got another Cousins Party coming up to celebrate the new year. Then Art's family will be coming so January is pretty booked.
ReplyDeleteWe won't leave in January to go to Chicago again. We decided to avoid the winter weather although Tif says she would have appreciated our help with shoveling the snow. I'm nervous about being stuck in snow at O'Hare.
Holidays always call us to remember the loved ones no longer with us -- but in calling them to mind we find they are still safe and secure in our hearts.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas, Kay to you and Art and your momma.
Thank you for your thoughtful words, Quilly! Have a most joyous Christmas with Amoeba.
ReplyDeleteI hope you and your family will have a good holiday this year and that the new year will be a healthy and prosperous one for everyone.
ReplyDeleteAbe and Patty Lincoln
Brookville, Ohio
It is a time to remember old friends and of course, family.
ReplyDeleteI love reading about your sweet mother, as I'm sure all of your readers do.
That's a great tradition to remember the loved ones who passed away, Kay. My father and husband passed away in November, one of my neighbours art Christmas and this is a difficult time for many elderly people! All in all I wish you a very merry Christmas with your family, Kay!
ReplyDeleteMy Dad died Christmas Eve 2000 and visiting his grave always starts our Christmas celebrations. It's impossible to have Christmas without the memories of lost loved ones, so we embrace it. It's not morbid, it's comforting. It's nice to see other people do the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI may not get time to comment tomorrow, so I'd like to wish you and your family a very happy Christmas. I have been so glad to read your blog and learn about different customs.
Regards,
Linda
I had to laugh out loud at your last line Kay! If my mother and yours could have ever met, I think they would have been fast friends.
ReplyDeleteMy father died just a week before Christmas many years ago; I hated the timing then. Now I love it because somehow the date seems to keep him part of our celebrations. I envy you the big family gatherings, and the trip to see more in Japan; our family is so scattered we rarely see each other.
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, good luck with those parties, and happy cleaning! LOL
nice. merry xmas!
ReplyDeletefamily and friends are what it's all about...how fun to decorate their graves with live flowers. Here they would be frozen quickly. At my mom's funeral several years ago in January, I told the attendees to take some of the flowers from the grave home to enjoy. Sounds like you have a busy year planned already both cleaning and traveling. lol
ReplyDeleteThe tradition of paying honor to lost loved ones is lovely, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteLoved your comment about your mother's upcoming cleaning plans!
Quilly's comment was perfect! Even though we celebrate Christmas with gatherings and gifts,it brings us many sweet memories, the best gifts of all. I had to laugh at your last line Kay! You certainly have so much to look forward to in the New Year. Wishing you and yours a very joyous Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI love when you post about your mother. She's remarkable and I'd love to know her. I really miss my mom at this time of year and think about her with everything I do. I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely Christmas Kay and thanks for the reminder to remember loved ones that have passed.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!!!! I hope your holidays are blessed with all the good things!
ReplyDeleteIt is a nice tradition (the flowers and remembering, not the cleaning).
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are so beautiful Kay. The holidays are always a time for us to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us. We go to Arlington to visit many of them. Your header photo is extraordinarily beautiful, I keep meaning to say every time I visit. Wishing you and your loving family a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year :)
ReplyDelete