If Curiosity Killed the Cat, Then What Did Sentimentality Kill?

My grandmother, mother and I share a tremendous amount of traits, but one we do not share is sentimentality.  The odd thing is that I am the sentimental one, not my mother, and certainly not my grandmother, who has lived to witness a lot.  No, I am the sap, the one who cries at the drop of a hat, the one who cherishes the most minute details of past events.  Why this is, I do not know.

Rendering of explanations aside, allow me to indulge in a brief moment of sentimentality.  It is a moment seared into my memory, one that affirms the sanctity of mother-daughter relationships.  While accompanying my Nana to visit my mom in the hospital, I observed their brief exchanges (my mom had just had a stroke) contrasted with gestures that were laden with meaning.  My mom had virtually no appetite; of course, my Nana prodded my mom to eat to maintain her strength.  My mom claimed the only thing that appealed to her was orange sherbet.  Nana, from her wheelchair, spoon fed the sherbet to my mom, who was not even paralyzed from her stroke.  She could have fed herself but resigned herself to Nana's insistence.  That simple gesture spoke volumes to me about the enduring ties mothers have to their daughters--no surrender of care, concern, or attention, despite physical or emotional impairments. 

My mom and Nana had a special relationship that I like to believe was different from the relationship Nana has with her four other daughters.  My mom was the most reserved of the five (I call her the "classic middle child"), the most stubborn, and the least likely to take care of her own ailments.  Perhaps that is why Nana was so drawn to my mom--she recognized when her most introverted child needed the most assistance.  Or, maybe I'm drawing too much of an emotional analysis from a basic human need being met without pomp or circumstance.  Still, I like to remember this moment between my mom and Nana as one of the most meaningful exchanges I have ever witnessed. 

What the...?

A new Triple Crown winner has been named, and he is the first winner since 1967.  I am embarrassed to have heard this news as recently as of yesterday.  While I admit I didn't follow much baseball this past season, especially in the wake of an abysmal season by the Red Sox, I still should have been more vigilant toward a milestone such as the Triple Crown race.

Mom, if you were here today, you would not believe your beloved Yaz has been dethroned!

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

I have not seen this movie but have heard it's delightfully poignant.  I should add it to my collection of shameless '80s favorite, some of which reveal my affection for John Candy.

Let's work backwards:

1.  Automobiles -  I really couldn't care less about what I drive, as long as it runs well.  I bemoan the number of SUVs I see on the road; I think they are pointless.  I still occasionally lust after the Audi TT.

2.  My cousins and I saw Justin Long on the train back to Connecticut from the city a few years ago.  He is adorable.  We were too shy to approach him.  I recently asked my cousin who would win in a fight between Justin Long and Joseph Gordon-Levitt .  "Ugh!  JGL!" she stated exasperatedly.  I think it would be a close call.

3.  On my flight back from my mom's memorial last weekend, I sat beside a positively delightful guy.  Of course, he lives in California.  Or, he might be gay.  Oh, well.  Such is the journey of life.