Another Lesson From

Memory is quixotic.

There are no rhymes or reasons explaining why it spontaneously injects a yesterday into today’s consciousness.

Yet It happened again last night.

Many years ago, My husband enjoyed dining at a rather dismal diner huddled into a strip mall on Hempstead Turnpike. The food was, well okay, but the parking was always a problem on the Friday nights we religiously arrived for dinner.

I often wondered, and yes, I always asked, “Why, here?”

He would smile, and say, “I just like it.” And so we dined there weekly for several years.

Until one morning a phone call from Caracas alerted me to his sudden hospitalization caused by a heart attack. Our lives had changed in the proverbial split of a second, and it was months later before we dared to contemplate ever dining out again.

last night I remembered the first Friday night we returned to the yes, dismal dark diner he so enjoyed. That memorable evening when we drove into the crowded parking lot, suddenly the small restaurant seemed to glow with an aura of starlight. I embraced the pleasure of the the once gloomy interior as if it was a magical wonderland. For seemingly endless days and weeks I had wondered if we would ever be able to go anyplace together again. I was absolutely ecstatic as we entered the tiny room.

And another life’s lesson was learned, and we were blessed with more time together..

I have had many blessings in my lifetime,, but rarely have I had the luxury of living close to family. After marriage, my Mom and I visited daily with phone calls. Consequently it wasn’t too much of an adjustment when my daughter and I found ourselves years later sharing the same manner of visiting either by phone or email.

I took the daily exchange for granted almost the way I felt years earlier about the small Long Island diner. Then again without warning our phone calls abruptly ended due to illness. While the emails continued for eight months, we hadn’t heard each other’s voice until last night.

When the phone rang, and I heard “Hello, Mom,” instantly, I recalled the joy I felt years ago.

Another lesson had been taught, and I knew another miracle had been granted.