Monday, June 14, 2004
How to talk about this past week? I am so very glad that I could be back before my Mother died. The Peace Corps was just fabulous in the way they immediately arranged everything for my return. Allegra, Arlene, the minister and I were by my Mother's side as she peacefully sighed and closed her eyes for the last time. What a long and full life she led, with such incredible dignity and love.
Her memorial service pretty much followed the program that she had written out for us - and then revised 5 or 6 times - although many of the people she had wanted to participate in the service are no longer alive. Allegra had handled all the details of the service and the reception afterwards with apparent ease. I gave Mother's eulogy, as she wanted, and the soloist sang "with joy and with good diction," as she had directed. The eulogy began with the wonderful quote from Thornton Wilder, and ended with the sonnet of John Milton:
"There is the land of the living and the land of the dead, and the bridge between them is love." - TW
"They also serve who only stand and wait." - JM
And now there are no more members of the previous generation. My sisters and I have now become the oldest generation in our family.
The week has also included a huge buying spree for things I've missed in Africa - everything from a good potato peeler to my new Nikon camera. Rah! Rah! And many warm reunions with friends. And just driving around looking at the things I like about being in Philadelphia. Rittenhouse Square. Franklin Parkway. Metropolitan Bakery. The Italian Market. John's Water Ice. I went to church yesterday and talked with the Great Discussions Group about Africa and Tanzania, got lots of hugs from good friends and had brunch and a long stroll afterwards with Paul.
Unfortunately, none of my efforts to change Myrna's horrid flight to Tanzania and bring her to Philadelphia were successful. Delta deferred to British Airways who deferred to Four Ways Travel in Tanzania who... 'Round and round again. Just couldn't be done. Myrna doesn't understand and kind of blames me for it, and she is frightened of traveling alone on that trip. Understandably. But I will arrive in Dar only 3 1/2 hrs after her (God Willing, to use that familiar phrase).
There are more friends I hope to see while I am here, and I am trying to locate used chemistry textbooks to take back with me. Otherwise, I am very ready to be back in Tanzania preparing for the next term at Nsumba, introducing Myrna to Africa, and the start of our new life together.
Her memorial service pretty much followed the program that she had written out for us - and then revised 5 or 6 times - although many of the people she had wanted to participate in the service are no longer alive. Allegra had handled all the details of the service and the reception afterwards with apparent ease. I gave Mother's eulogy, as she wanted, and the soloist sang "with joy and with good diction," as she had directed. The eulogy began with the wonderful quote from Thornton Wilder, and ended with the sonnet of John Milton:
"There is the land of the living and the land of the dead, and the bridge between them is love." - TW
"They also serve who only stand and wait." - JM
And now there are no more members of the previous generation. My sisters and I have now become the oldest generation in our family.
The week has also included a huge buying spree for things I've missed in Africa - everything from a good potato peeler to my new Nikon camera. Rah! Rah! And many warm reunions with friends. And just driving around looking at the things I like about being in Philadelphia. Rittenhouse Square. Franklin Parkway. Metropolitan Bakery. The Italian Market. John's Water Ice. I went to church yesterday and talked with the Great Discussions Group about Africa and Tanzania, got lots of hugs from good friends and had brunch and a long stroll afterwards with Paul.
Unfortunately, none of my efforts to change Myrna's horrid flight to Tanzania and bring her to Philadelphia were successful. Delta deferred to British Airways who deferred to Four Ways Travel in Tanzania who... 'Round and round again. Just couldn't be done. Myrna doesn't understand and kind of blames me for it, and she is frightened of traveling alone on that trip. Understandably. But I will arrive in Dar only 3 1/2 hrs after her (God Willing, to use that familiar phrase).
There are more friends I hope to see while I am here, and I am trying to locate used chemistry textbooks to take back with me. Otherwise, I am very ready to be back in Tanzania preparing for the next term at Nsumba, introducing Myrna to Africa, and the start of our new life together.
