Today is my sister Jane’s birthday, the first one since she passed away last December. It’s a funny thing how grief creeps up on you in the strangest ways and at the most unlikely places. Early in May I was shopping at CVS and decided to preemptively purchase cards for the May and June birthdays. I got to the section for sisters and felt the pang of loss once again.
Jane was one of the most nurturing and supportive people in my life, aside from her over-zealous brushing of my teeth when I was little (which resulted in me biting down on the toothbrush to get her to stop and breaking it in my mouth). The memory that comes on this eve of what would be her 76th birthday is of a time I visited her when I was in college. Her children were 3,5, and 7 at the time.
I woke up the first morning to the aroma of brewing coffee and French toast made the Findlay way. I hurried into the kitchen, grabbed a cup of coffee, sat down at the table. Jane placed a plate of French toast, already buttered, sliced into bite-size pieces, and smothered with syrup. We both realized at the same time that she’d done the same thing for me that she did for her young children. The result was a good belly laugh.
The word “remember” occurs 286 times in the Bible for good reason. It is our memories that connect us to our loved one, and to the One who will never leave us or forsake us or forget us. Jesus said, “remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Happy birthday Jane! Thanks for the memories ~ Anne
Wayfinding 