Abuelas...and to those who come after

This past Sabbath we said our earthly goodbye to our dear Abuela Laura.  In life as in death, she was surrounded by her family. Her legacy is her children and grandchildren-whom loved her deeply and selflessly, led unmistakably by the example she lived throughout her life in how she cared for so many others.

While disease had taken her mind and much of her speech in recent years- she still left her mark on the world- with nurses and other patients constantly remarking on her kind, sweet demeanor, her loving smile. 

It was a privilege to have born witness to the gentleness, care, respect and love which surrounded her as she passed- even in death our elders have much to teach us. 

It is the end of an era..to have lost 3 grandmothers in less than 3 years is painful. Abuela Yeca, Abuela Leyda, Abuela Laura.

To realize that I now have no more abuelas in my life is haunting.  I am saddened that my own unborn son won’t have the privilege of knowing firsthand how wonderful his great and great-great grandmothers were. He may never even call any of his own grandmothers “abuelas”.  He will never personally experience the unparalleled care and love I received from them as an infant, child and adult. He will never experience their unconditional love, selflessness, their old world skills born out of necessity and hardship, their unmatched hospitality, their language and accents, the traditions they kept alive- their unsurpassed cooking skills. Their success in life was not marked by educational achievement, high salaried jobs, or the places they had seen. They took pride in their roles as matriarchs and with quiet determination, sacrifice and hardwork, did what had to be done to raise and care for their families. 

I have been reminded now of the circle of life- as one life passes away, I await the arrival of a new life. It now falls on the next two generation, me and my cousins, and parents, aunts and uncles-to carry on their legacy. To recount their stories. To pass on their lessons, to maintain the customs, language and culture. To keep the past from becoming merely history. 

Despite this melancholy reflection, born out of the strange combination of the stages of grief, and exited jittery preparation for this next stage of life -motherhood- I take comfort in knowing that these separate generations will be reunited again...or introduced...in heaven one day- with them each them restored to their full vigor and strength. Until then, we will keep them present in our hearts.