Monday, August 9, 2010
On the other side of the world, Wayne is grinding grain in Senegal with the ladies in their bright African prints; they are enjoying the scene immensely. On the other side of the world, Sarah has no doubt dispensed many bangles and baubles from Claire’s, and I wish I could have witnessed the scene. I am glad Kate has the two of them there now that she has put in one whole year in Africa. Me next! 
But I have my own adventure. On the other side of my family — the side I didn’t know nearly so well, so much of its history lost to time and distance — were five orphaned siblings who turned out to be, among them, exceptionally fine, kind, sweet, gregarious, down-to-earth, funny, athletic, hard-working people. From their parents, Lazar and Sarah, who died so tragically, way too young, struggling immigrants, came this fountain of fine people, and I get to meet one of these cousins I’ve never seen. We are both excited, as we represent the two halves of the family that went different ways and knew little about each other. Lazar and Sarah, whose lives turned sad, if only they could have known what they created down the generations. Maybe they do. As Cheri said, “I feel their spirits are calling us.”
