Monday, February 3, 2014

Vintage Virginia 2003

I could not resist sharing this story with you all.

We went to Skylawn this past Saturday to officially say good-bye to Mom. Could she have chosen a more beautiful day?

She had wanted a super private burial since she did not want more than the immediate family to shed any tears. She was laid to rest next to my father overlooking the canyon view and the pacific ocean.

My Brother and Sister-in-Law had found a beautifully written cursive letter Mom wrote to her future Mother-in-Law right after my Father and her had gotten engaged. It described how in love she was, how excited she was to get married, even detailing the china pattern she was choosing; "A Perfect Rose".

The boys all carried her champagne pink casket to the site. Penny, her minister, had personally chosen and read the perfect poem in memory of Mom:

When I die
Don’t cry
Just laugh

Laugh at all the plans I laid
The mistakes I made
Let our laughter
Lilt ever after
Laugh at the games we played
The days that fade
Just laugh

When I die
Don’t cry
Just sing

Sing anything
Yell it loud
Alone or in a crowd
Bust out a tune
I’ll hear you croon
Don’t worry ’bout a thing
Just sing

When I die
Don’t cry
Just dance

Wear your sweats or your fancy pants
Jump and sway
Break it down or do ballet
Shake what your mama gave you
Remember how I love you
Spin in a trance
Just dance

Cry if you must
Cry but don’t lose trust
Cry while you laugh and sing and dance
Cry a little if you must
Then laugh and sing and dance
You must

My Brother also had a surprise at the end. Or should I say Mom had left another surprise for us. Mom had written my Brother and I a lettter. It was dated "May 2003". Again in her perfect handwriting, it described what a "Wonderful life" she was given. It spoke of her "Wonderful marriage". She said her and my father were "chosen" from god to be our parents. It ended with how blessed she was to be a Grandmother.

I have to hand it to her. She was prepared. She was loved. And she had loved. It made me realize how spiritual she really was. And how happy of a person she was irregardless of all the ups and downs she was handed in life. She truly saw her life through rose colored glasses.

We ended the day at her favorite restaurant. The Miramar. We made a reservation under "Virginia". We ordered the best bottle of champagne on their menu and it arrived at the table. Guess what year it was?

Vintage 2003.

Yes, that's right. After just having listened to her love penned in 2003, she was right there with us again, serving up a bottle of Dom Perignon.

The surprises just keep coming.