Can We Talk 2

My Great Aunt Virgie

         I got a call today about a birthday party for my great aunt Virgie. She'll be 100 on April 26! My mother, her niece, was born on the same day when Virgie was 15. So the two of them were always close. They lived near each other when Mom was small, and they'd go to town together. My mom, Doris, was always her little baby. My mother worshiped the ground Virgie walked on all her life.

         The truth is my aunt Virgie was a fine Christian woman. She was active in her church which was only a few blocks away. She lived through some terrible times, but came through every hardship with a smile and kind words. She was very patient and loving. Now she's old and confused. She can't remember me any more, but when she hears the name Doris, she thinks I'm Doris. She forgets that Doris has already passed away.

         Nobody ever calls her by her full name. Most relatives thought it was Virginia. But her mother, who was a very devout Christian and daily Bible student, named her last baby Virgin Mary Marshall. Uh, huh. Now you know why her brothers and sisters preferred Virgie.

         At any rate, she is deserving of the title "saintly" as it is commonly used. The men in that family tended to be drinkers, when young, and played cards and pool, and threw dice and chased women. All but a few calmed down with age and led better lives after the kids were grown. I have a few second cousins around my age who swear they hate their father who didn't improve. (Did I fail to mention that they were also strict disciplinarians, despite their own misbehavior?) Yet they all married good, church going women. These women tolerated their absences, their hangovers, and did their best to protect the kids. And their kids turned out pretty good.

         Virgie's husband fell in with them, until he turned middle age. His kids hated being at home when Dad was there, but loved him any way. The youngest saw more of his good side, since the others had left home by then. They adored their mother who was a constant source of peace and love for them. She was strong and stable.

         I'm glad she's had this long life. A pillar of virtue, she's enjoyed tranquility with her grandson and youngest daughter for decades before going to a home. It's heartbreaking now to see her weak and confused. She won't get much out of the party. But it will be good for everyone else as they reflect on her character and her great heart.