April 28, 2024
It’s strange that when we lose someone we love, our most enduring memories aren’t the ones that would make it into a Hallmark movie. That’s because love and life are often totally unpredictable, and so are our memories.
When Susie’s father got sick and was sent to the hospital’s critical care unit, all of his food was puréed. The chicken, the rice, the carrots and the peas. It just wasn’t the same, and it certainly wasn’t appetizing to a man who prided himself on his fine cuisine, usually created by his wife. He often told her when they went to an Italian restaurant, “It’s not going to be as good as yours.” And he was right. It wasn’t.
When he returned home from the hospital, he had to endure the same process. All his food went through the blender. He may as well have been eating Gerber baby food. His response was always the same: “This stuff is TERRIBLE!”
However, every so often, someone special came to the rescue. His daughter. On Sunday, when his wife Lillian and her sister Aurie went to church, Susie would come out of hiding and give him a change of pace from the same old same old.
She would sneak into the kitchen when the coast was clear and make him a cheese and apple sandwich with honey mustard. To make it easier for him to eat, she cut the sandwich into quarters. Then, she sat beside him while he ate. What was the verdict from this man accustomed to eating the finest Italian food?
He’d take a bite and exclaim, “Sue, this is the BEST sandwich I’ve ever had!”
After George died, his daughter clung to that crazy memory and held it close to her heart. That simple act of kindness and his appreciation offered the perfect mix of emotions to help her when she was grieving.
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