The Grandmother's Message Read online

The Grandmother’s Message

  Marcia Carrington

  Copyright 2013 Marcia Carrington

  All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.

  Credit for the cover image:

  (C) Yuliaglam - Dreamstime.com

  The Grandmother’s Message

  “Mom, what was great-great grandmother Vanessa like?” Ariel asked, an array of photo albums sprawled across the silky fabric ottoman. Ariel examined them intently, scanning the photos of her relatives with much interest. Ariel’s mom Marie came out of the kitchen, and kneeled close to her daughter.

  “She was a beautiful woman in all respects - she cared for your grandmother after she lost both of her parents, and raised her single-handedly, as her own husband had died years before.” Both women examined the photo of their beloved ancestor, and sighed. Perusing photo albums featuring photos of her relatives was something Ariel often indulged in, and this gave her much pleasure. She always imagined what it would have been like to know them, and to live in a very different era than nowadays. Ariel and her mom continued looking at the photos of her great-great-grandmother with much interest.

  “Yes, she was a resourceful woman for sure, and, in spite of many odds in her life, always rose above these. She wanted the best for my mom, your grandma Marni, and made sure she was well taken care of. May her spirit be at peace.” Ariel nodded at her mom Marie’s words, and proceeded to look at the photos on the opposite page of the album. On this page there was a photo of Ariel’s great-grandmother Emilia, who died at a very young age. Ariel reflected upon her grandmother losing her mother so young, and was very grateful for having her own mother. She could not imagine life without her own mom, and could only comprehend how her grandmother felt being without her own mom. Marie looked at the photo of Emilia, and sighed.

  “Your grandmother was orphaned at a very early age, and her father took care of her. After he also passed on, your grandmother had now lost both of her parents. She really was blessed, though, to have her grandmother look after her - very lucky.” Ariel knew she was fortunate to have had such wonderful relatives, and, even though she never met her great and great-great grandmothers, somehow, it was as if she already knew them - her grandmother, in many ways, had been the gateway to her ancestors. Ariel always nursed regrets, though - she never asked her grandmother when she was alive about her own mother and grandmother, and this was something that bothered her. When one is younger, they never think of such things, only when a person is more mature do certain questions make themselves felt.

  Any which way, flipping through her family photo albums was a constant source of joy for Ariel - it transported her to eras in history she believed would have been fascinating to live in, and she often compared life now to how it would have been in the mid to late 1800s, to the early decades of the twentieth century. This intrigued Ariel so much that she had taken courses in modern European and American history at university, and her burning interest catapulted her to the top of her classes in these subjects. Aside from this, it was a way for Ariel to feel closer to her grandmother, whom she greatly missed after many years.

  While they say that the years bring a form of acceptance over the passing of loved ones, it never erases their presence from our hearts, and minds. This was a means of dealing with her loss, but, seeing things from another perspective, Ariel knew that her mom was a gift to her from her grandmother, and, in turn, from her great, and great-great grandmothers. It seemed as if, symbolically, one generation was actively looking after the next, by always having someone steadfast present to maintain the family, and its heritage safely handed down from one generation to the next. Marie noticed, as usual, that Ariel was totally immersed in the photo album, and glanced over at the rosewood clock on the mantelpiece. “Ariel, it’s time you got ready for university, as time’s creeping up.”

  Ariel looked up at her mother, a little alarmed, but Marie’s serene face reassured her immediately.

  “You’re not late, but it’s better you got ready, as parking can get busy there.”

  Ariel nodded at her mom, and said,

  “You’re right, it does become a little crazy at the university, with everyone competing for parking; I’d better get ready.” With this, Ariel blew a kiss for each grandmother, and planted these on their photos. She carefully closed the album, and returned it to the cabinet, all the while watched by Marie, who was content with her daughter’s affection for her ancestors. Ariel hugged her mom, and promptly went to her room to prepare for university.