All Saints Day
All Saints Day! How this ended up being my birthday is a mystery, but I always feel its blessings and Grace.
Many have come before me, creating the path I now follow. The saints of my ancestors are all around. My great-grandmothers – I have memories of these women. Memories like short movies. I remember their homes. One lived in a grand Southern home with a huge kitchen complete with marble slabs to make candy and living rooms decorated with a tall grandfather clock that looked like a skyscraper. I remember lying in front of that clock, looking up and listening to the constant tick of time. The other lived in a cottage-style home with a big front porch that would fill with students from nearby acting schools and a kitchen highlighted with the bright colors of Fiesta-ware.
I see them in my life today, in my love for chocolate, and in my own kitchen filled with the colorful dishes and mugs of the fiesta style.
My grandmothers and grandfathers, each of whom I knew if only for a couple of years. I remember being taught to respect them and listen as they spoke. They showed me how people live with abundance and scarcity. They nurtured me as a child and honored my work as an Episcopal priest.
I remember their homes. One set of grandparents had the newest technology for their time. I would crawl throughout their house and lie in front of their closet doors – watching the light turn on and turn off, on and off, as I opened and closed the door. My other grandparents lived in a home filled with the smell of corn and apple fritters. There were card games and ice cream trucks. I remember lying in bed at night watching my grandmother as she brushed her long hair over and over, her silhouette outlined by the moon’s light.
It is important to be still and remember. Many Saints have gone before us. Now in this life, we forge ahead. Someday, we will be the ancestors whom others will remember as they move forward on this same path, extended.
A great thing to keep in mind on this All Saints Day and throughout the year.