My 92 year-old mother-in-law passed away recently and sending her off has been an emotional time for sure, but, the last few months have also brought this very close-knit family even closer. Her five children have done an amazing job of coming together, expressing their goals and taking steps to bring her estate to a close. Ready to move forward, each of the kids has walked through her home and selected items that were meaningful to them, or simply could use, and on more than one occasion, shared a story or two and tons of laughter, tears rolling down their cheeks.
The next generation has been coming in and selecting a few things as well. It's been equally fun with them, as they walk through the house and pick up items, turning them over and over in their hands as they remember their grandparents. From plastic glasses in the kitchen to beautiful cut glass vases and pitchers stored in cabinets to treasured antiques and oddities, it's been fun to see what attracts the eye of these young people, and to listen, listen, listen to their stories, their memories.
I was lucky to have lived next door to this remarkable, kind lady for all but one of my married years. She was, as was my father-in-law, who has been gone ten years, a great neighbor. She shared our joys, she was supportive when we had sadness. She taught me how to be a good neighbor, I hope, to someone new next door.
I may not bake pies or keep my flowers as weeded, the birds well-fed as I should, but I know how to be a neighbor! I had a really good teacher!
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