What a milestone, turning 85. Mom has had some real health issues, but she battles on, with swimming and yoga and physical therapy. She lives in a wonderful building in NYC, which is a great place for anyone to live, but it is specifically for Seniors. There are bells and whistles everywhere if she needs help. She has a great apartment and has made some friends, some who have passed, and others, some well into their 90's, who put one foot in front of the other everyday and live their already very full lives. There is a private room in her building for special events or dinners, which holds 12 people and this is where we shared a lovely evening. This is what Mom wanted.
I had an idea to make Mom a collage of her life, so I called on the family to send in the pictures. After scanning, zooming, editing, enhancing, lightening, brightening, cropping, carefully tearing, and finally rubber cementing, about 100 photos, I wound up with 2 very sizable collages. Similar to putting together a puzzle that you are inventing, I thought that I had gotten myself in way over my head. But, as always, the pictures found their place on each board. It turned out, that one board was 'Us', meaning my generation, my brother, Edward, my nieces, my cousins and their children, standing on the family that came before us in the other collage. Mom can't see very well, but she knew what it was and she cried. She understood that so many people love her, have loved her, will always love her, as she too, has loved, and will continue to love so many of us as well. It was a special night for a special lady. Happy Birthday Mom!
(The photos of the collage are taken from the center of each one...these are not the full boards!)
