Now, All of that, in part one of this post to say this:
Here is a funny story about Rachel I’d like to share with you.
For some reason, every time lately, when I go to the grocery store, while I am there, I often, eventually have to fight back an eruption of tears, I’m not sure why I feel like crying in the grocery store, not sure why it’s a trigger, but on this particular occasion, I definitely knew why and journaled about it.
I was in the produce section of my local grocery store and suddenly, as I reached for some bananas I began to snicker and giggle. At first, just a little, but soon I began to laugh, and then I began to cry. I was caught off guard by a fond memory of my daughter and I shopping in the produce section earlier that same year.
It was a special occasion, my daughter wanted to prepare a special dinner, so we went to the store to buy groceries. Rachel was browsing along the aisle and I approached her as she picked up a large Zucchini. As she did, I queried, “Just what are you planning to make with that?” I asked disdainfully because I’m not a fan of zucchini.
Then she grabbed some other summer squashes and asked, “What’s the matter?” “I can add these to the zucchini with a little olive oil and fry them with some cheese, it’s delightful!”
I answered her again in disgust, “Yuck!” I said. “Well, maybe to you it is…it’s delightful. But not to me, and…Have you ever seen Dad put even one piece of that in his mouth…
Ever?” I continued.
Rachel replied, “Well, no…Okay, so how about zucchini bread. I have a delicious recipe for that.”
But, I shot back again, “Marvelous…you would ruin a delightful comfort food like bread, with awful zucchini…shame I you!” I jested. “Never my Dear!” I challenged.
Just as I grabbed a near-by banana,
I countered, “Only bananas are worthy of such a tasty treat.” (My daughter wasn’t a true fan of bananas).
As she stood positioned toward me with her zucchini, pointed like a sword and I countered her with my banana, also pointed at her like we were ready for a fencing match.
Soon we started laughing until we were both in tears in the produce aisle. Then we discovered we’d become the entertainment to nearby shoppers, we were oblivious to the onlookers around us who were watching our comical exchange.
We lovingly called it our “zucchini wars’.
Sometimes, at random, we would walk through the produce section in any grocery store, and turn to each other, and exclaim, “un-guard!”, and point a banana or zucchini at one another.
The last time we had done that, her son Aiden was with us, and clapped and clapped and smiled at our funny antics. (He was just two years old at the time)
It was a fun and delightful shopping trip and a treasured memory for me today.
It’s a sweet memory and one that came upon me, unawares while I was alone, but it made me glad and sad all at the same time. Just like this story and memory, I’m not the only one that enjoys the hearing of it. I hope you have too. Sharing it helps.
My daughter and I had such a great relationship, and wonderful fun together, even in the mundane things of life. It’s one of the things I miss most.
So, share your memories and stories, and reminisce and remember those loved ones you have lost, and let others remind you of how special they were to you and still are.
May you cherish the stories and memories as you progress through your grief.
Share your stories, Susan