Prompt and Circumstance

In Mind's Eye

'absence' (Nov.26, 2016)

She smiled bravely, raising her glass to toast this celebration - the culmination of the season of love and giving, and then again in thankfulness for the comfort of the love and warmth surrounding her - in the bosom of her family - as she liked to call them these days. Somehow she held the tears in check.

Her mind was whispering threads of memories of celebrations past. Big noisy Christmases, the twinkle of candles and Christmas tree lights reflecting hope and joy in the sparkling tinsel winking and blinking from every direction. The crackle of tearing paper and children squealing and giggling over a backdrop of the harmony of carollers singing as a multitude of musicians performed the familiar chords of beloved music of this most special time.

And birthdays. So many birthdays. Memories tumbled one over the other as countless scenes sped before her mind's-eye. A wry smile twisted her lips as one bizarre moment stood out from the rest. It had been her youngest son's 10th, she thought. Lights had been dimmed so only the candles on the cake lit up the faces of a table full of his rowdy mates and siblings. As they finished singing an out of tune rendition of 'Happy Birthday', he sucked in the traditional huge breath and blew, with all his might. A short chuckle escaped as once again she saw the whole table and all the guests covered in a layer of coconut - the disguise she'd applied to the Pink Pig cake to hide a few rough spots. A dandruff attack of epidemic proportions!

Her smile faded and eyes softened as the anniversaries took centre stage, forcing all other celebrations aside. What a gentleman he'd been,her husband. And what a gentle man, too. My husband! How she'd savoured those words and her new name from the first day the minister had pronounced them 'husband and wife'. The decades had never dulled the magic of those words. And her smile returned as she pictured times they'd spent alone but together - always together. Romantic, candle-lit dinners, clinking glasses to honour each other and their love. It wasn't always so, but still she smiled. There were the years of the babies, their wonderful children... when the little ones were too small to leave, even for a few hours. No regrets there. Each and every moment spent with her loved ones had been precious beyond compare.

She blinked furiously several times. The tears were there, threatening to overflow now. In desperation she stood up from the festive table and crossed the large dining room of the aged care home, saying "Ahh, just a moment. Forgot I still had this present from my daughter in my bag". And as she put the present beneath the tree, the gift card fell open. As she read the verse, the tears rained unchecked down her lined cheeks.

"Yesterday is history,
tomorrow is a mystery,
today is a gift of God,
which is why we call it the present."