Saturday, January 5, 2008

Outside the Touch of Time

"To the outside world we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters. We know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets, family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time." Clara Ortega

Today we spent a few hours hanging out with my Great-Grandma. She needed someone to fix the phone line that runs to her bedroom and I wanted to get some names of ancestors to start doing some genealogical research. She's an awesome little lady who will be 90 years old this June. While we were there she fixed us a wonderful lunch, which of course included fried apples because she knows I love them. She followed Hubby up and down the stairs showing him what needed to be run where and why, and dug around to find me all her lists of names and dates of relatives that have been long gone, some of whom she still remembers.

While we were sitting, just she and I, talking and reminiscing together she shared how it bothers her to think that soon she could be the only one of her generation left. She was trying to explain to me how she feels like she will be alone. She will be 90 and her only sibling left, a sister, will be 93 and is "failing". I think the quote above puts into words the feelings Great-Grandma was trying to convey to me today. . They are the only two left and even though she has lots of children, grandchildren, greats and even a few great-greats, it's not the same. Now I think I have a better perspective on what she meant.

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