Blogs / Vibes / Spring 2011 / A song in her heart

Feb 22, 201202:09 AMPositive Vibes

A blog that explores authentic human connection

A song in her heart

A true survivor turned eighty yesterday. It was a celebration of my Aunt Jackie’s eight decades on the planet.

I bought her a rock.

On one side of the rock someone had carved a happy face. The other side of the rock had a face that was a wrinkle-browed frown.

What I remember most about visiting her house as a child is chaos. The large three-story monstrosity was centered in a densely populated area of the city. There were Jackie’s nine children, all of their neighborhood friends, two wiener dogs and piles and piles of dirty clothes.

I always felt like I was in the ring with a bunch of angry wrestlers fighting to the death, but somehow I was never touched in the fray. At a point the kicking and screaming disappeared into the fabric of the other activities that whirled around the place. It showed me another world and made me grateful for the quiet suburban neighborhood to which I returned. It also made me love and appreciate all nine of my cousins that grew into great people, most of whom I hugged deeply and affectionately yesterday.

The sad side of the rock was indicative of Jackie’s two children who died tragically… along with the death of her parents, two husbands, and never-ending health and financial challenges. It’s always been a life that she struggles through graciously with faith and love and appreciation for another day.  Every thank you note she sends has one of her original watercolors on it.  And every visit is filled with many hugs and cups of coffee and I love you’s and true gratitude for time spent together.

There is always joy and there’s always a little sadness… But through it all Aunt Jackie is a rock – and a testament to withstanding the rainy days to get to the sunny ones.