Wednesday, March 14, 2012

margaret


i live in a very small family as a result of which, each member has a more
pronounced effect on the other members of the family.

fortunately i have been blessed with a family comprised of strong, interesting, constantly questioning, curious, creative, talented, clever people who live their lives in their own entirely unique way and each bring their own version of goodness into the world.

today is (my aunt) margaret's birthday.
margaret is my only aunt . . . and i lucked out because she was the cool aunt . . . you know, the person who dropped the important books . . . siddhartha, and steppenwolf, a book of dali prints at exactly the right time
to wake me up to the worlds beyond this world . . .

she was the person who took me to europe in the middle of my messed up teen years and made sure that i saw berlin - east and west, amsterdam, koln, and many places i had read about or heard about and which suddenly became entirely real and colourful.

margaret created a space that my own parents couldn't - through no fault of their own - that allowed me to grow beyond my own limitations.

and to be clear, i am very grateful for her existence beyond what she has provided me!
the world is a richer place for her incredible food, her kindness, her gardens, and so much more!

happy birthday margaret!!!

6 comments:

Dan Gurney said...

That's a warm tribute. I had no aunts, uncles, or cousins to enrich my life.

Kay said...

she sounds an amazing woman, happy birthday to margaret!!

Elisabeth said...

You are fortunate indeed to have such an aunt. Extended family members can make up for the gaps in our immediate family , and every little bit helps. I've seen something similar in my own family. And I'm lucky to have many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Pauline said...

what a beautiful acknowledgement!

Reya Mellicker said...

Aunts and uncles can be the best kind of guide. I feel sad that this relationship has become suspect in recent years.

I love my nieces and nephews, and grand nephews as well!

ellen abbott said...

how lucky for you to have such a great woman in your life. and I love all the lanterns in your header.