The Past Kisses the Present

It is another quiet Sunday as I gaze out my window at our still, cold garden. It's really, really cold here and it's a shock! I was lulled into thinking that these warmer temps were here to stay! Indiana weather, like life, is never static.
On Friday my husband and I drove to Indianapolis, in a chilly wind, to help my sister,and husband, with a baby shower for their only daughter's first child. After a day of laughing, hugging,talking and preparing food and making plans,we were happy to be in a warm house while a light snow fell. Time spent with my loving sister brings back all the years of good good memories we have and will have. She is the best sister anyone could have.
The shower was a success and the bonus for us, was that we also spent time with three of our children, a son in law and three of our grandchildren. We all scooted together around a table made for six people and did what all families do when together. We gossiped, we laughed and made light jokes of one other and life, took funny photos and patiently listened (my children) to the advice I had saved up for them. I am so blessed with family and if any of my family is reading this, I would like to personally thank you!
With the shower over my children and I visited my mother at her nursing home. She has had many strokes and cannot communicate well and has ceased to recognize me, as her daughter, a long time ago. But after the shock and mourning of that deep loss, I have accepted that although she does not recognize me, I recognize her. She is that same woman who raised me, nursed me through illnesses, taught me to read and love books, and plants and appreciated and encouraged my writing. She is still my mother and I love her even though she has no idea who this is, sitting by her side and holding her hand. She was just happy to have a visit. As my oh so grown up children kissed her, held her hands and talked to and responded to her unintelligable speech I was reminded of all her many kindnesses in life and how 'being kind' to others was so important to her as was family. I was so proud of my children and saw first hand how her legacy has affected them. With tears in their eyes, they patiently gave their time and their love. What a gift!
And, that is why we were there, in Indy on a cold winter's day, spending tiem with family,attending a shower for our lovely neice who will be having a baby girl who will carry on my mother's Irish gift of happiness, love and kindness and feistiness,I'm sure. Our eldest daughter was missed but she was busy loving and supporting her daugher, our grand daughter, who was involved in an important competition. With love, we do what is most needed, to do, at the time.
So the wheel goes on. Families gather together and love one another and keep that wheel rolling generation after generation. Loving one another should be enough to keep us going through good times and bad.
My garden lies still and cold ready to erupt in spring madness in a very short time. There is soil to be turned and warmed and spinach to be planted soon and spring lettuce. In the spring when I step out into my garden and place my hand on my favorite shovel my thoughts will be of my daughters, sister, neices, mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother all who gardened for just the love of it. Then I will turn the soil and plant once again for that is what a gardener does.