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| Monday Memories--Easter 1976 |
Yesterday was Easter bringing back my memories of that first Easter in the flower business. Ted and I were stressed since we had no experience in the flower business when we bought the shop. So we had no idea of what to expect. You can imagine our stress and anxiety dealing with the unknown.
Besides that, my father passed away in March making this time in my life one filled with sadness and loss. My mother was a strong woman, but I worried about her on this holiday.
Here's an excerpt from the book. Please join me in this Easter memory.
Easter 1976
The
next morning I dressed Sara in her Easter outfit. She was so sweet in all her
pink. A pang of guilt cut through me. I wished Mom could see her. How was she
coping without Dad?
A prick of sadness stabbed through my middle.
How could I get through this first Easter without Dad? I took a few ragged
breaths. I couldn’t go to church with red-rimmed eyes and a red nose. Get it together. You can do this.
We
left for church dreading wearing a happy face when I felt so sad
inside. But how many people do go to church and pretend everything is alright?
We
parked the car in the crowded church lot. Greetings of Happy Easter met us as
we walked down the rows of vehicles and into the church. We dropped Sara off at
the nursery and continued down the hallway to the sanctuary. The warm greetings
and the happy faces lifted my spirit. I had been so wrapped up in my sorrow, I
had forgotten today I could focus on the Easter message of Good News.
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| Easter Message |
When
we walked into the sanctuary, I stopped in my tracks in awe of the beauty ahead
of me. The lilies in gold foil and cream bows lined the railings and the front
of the church as in a heavenly garden. Their fragrance didn’t overpower me
here in this huge room but instead empowered me. The brilliant sight ahead
touched me. Perhaps it was a God moment. My heart flooded with joy and peace
pushing out the sorrow and stress I had harbored inside.
When
we sat down in the pew, I couldn’t stop staring at those lilies. The same
ordinary lilies that had lived in our greenhouse for months had been transformed
into a blessing for us and our congregation.
***
Do you have an Easter memory you'd like to share with us? Are you writing a memoir or planning to write one? Please leave a comment below.
6 comments:
Beautiful, Janet! An important slice of your life for your memoir. <3
Thank you, Susan.
A touching passage, Janet. I can especially relate to those moments when memories come flooding back. You put me there.
Thanks for sharing that lovely memory, Janet. In times of sadness we can still be uplifted. It's wonderful that your own flowers brought so much joy and that you saw them in a new light.
I think more business books (like how to start one) should be as memoirs. They make more sense. This sounds delightful.
Hey, Janet. Loved how you captured the joy and sadness of this holiday. Looking forward to reading this when you finish. Best to you, dear friend.
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