O, HAPPY DAY! 03/18/00

Subj: O, Happy Day! (watch out, men - a "chick" posting)
Date: 3/18/00 9:47:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time

The power of the possible ~ I amazed myself today and went to Whitney's shower! Will wonders never cease. Such wonders there were.

I said it before to this circle of friends and say it again - Elsa has an unwavering belief in the possible. It does wonders for my recovery.

Elsa let me know that she thought I could make it to Whitney's shower, but that the choice was mine. I was leery, even scared. As is her way, Elsa presented the possibility as a series of self-contained, open-ended options.

First was the decision to go or not. I was so sure I would not have the energy, but then she asked what I thought Pete would say. That tore it - I knew I had to give it a try, at least. If I decided while dressing it was not a smart move, then that would be the end of it. It actually felt good to get dressed and took a lot less time than I thought it would. It has been weeks and weeks since I was dressed in day clothes. I looked pretty good. Instead of tiring me out, getting dressed seemed to put a little bounce in my step. We left, with the understanding that if I felt it was too much, she'd turn around at once.

We drove, as always, through Bryn Athyn, past flowering magnolias and daffodils, past the Post Office, across the creek, up and out onto Terwood Road. Just seeing our hometown gives me a boost. Elsa kept looking over to me, I guess to check me out, but all I ever gave her was a smile. Nobody's fool, she had brought along some of my favorite tapes to play.

As we drove along the turnpike, she said she would not be surprised if Mim would be at the shower. That seemed wildly far-fetched to me - Mim's physical problems keep her from heading across the Delaware from her NJ home - but it put the possibility in my mind.

By the time we exited from the Turnpike onto the "Blue Route" I knew that I was going to make it, even if we only stayed for 15 minutes. By the time we headed up Swedesford Road toward Berwyn, I was getting charged with excitement.

As the D'Entremonts' front door swung open, guess who one of the first people we saw was? Mim! I had not seen her since early October, back when I was in the hospital with my mini-stroke. What a moment, realizing that all the USA-based Lockhart women were together for a purely happy event. It still seems like a dream. Elsa, who was brought up by her sister to cherish anything having to do with family and who has worked through a lot of sibling issues recently, practically did cartwheels across the lawn, she was so happy at the completeness of the moment.

Whitney looked lovelier than ever, definitely radiant. She fussed over me, her mother fussed over me, her grandmother fussed over me, my daughters fussed over me, and the hostess was clearly pleased as punch that both grandmothers and all of Whitney's USA-based aunts were there.

Whitney was a darling and opened my presents first. Elsa wrapped my present - a Christmas combination of Mary Engelbreit's book, BELIEVE (inscribed in my own wobbly fist, "When this you see, remember me."), a small red cardinal ornament (Pete and I considered red cardinals our good luck sign), and a treasured ornament from our tree to theirs - in bright-colored Christmas paper. She polished up the pewter cocktail shaker that had been given in the earlier part of the century to Pete's aunt and her husband - J. Barton and Fanny Lockhart King - by some of his cricket chums in appreciation of Fanny & Bart's exceptional hospitality (and exceptional hooch). I gave it to Whitney on "behalf of the spirit of Lockhart women past and present for the spirits of Lockhart women present and future." What a lovely, unexpected (to me) touch to have Mim, another Lockhart woman, present.

It touched me deeply that Whitney wore an engagement present that Elsa & I had given her on behalf of her great-grandmother, Lillian Lockhart, who died when Pete was in his teens. It was a drop necklace - very popular, I understand, these days - of three tiny solitaire diamonds in filigree settings. Gar' Lockhart gave it to her as part of her engagement present. It was given to me when I married Pete and I gave it, in turn, to Elsa, and the two of us put it into Whitney's trust. Since Whitney did not have any idea I would be there, her wearing it moved me deeply.

I stayed for close to 1 1/2 hours. Incredible! On the drive home, Elsa ran into Great Harvest Bread Company and came back with a warm chunk of Cinnamon Swirl Bread. It tasted delicious and helped me regroup my forces. I enjoyed the sunny ride home, but looked forward to a nice long nap.

It is well over six hours since we opened d'Entremonts' front door and caught sight of Mim, well over six hours since I took in the beauty of my grown-up granddaughter, now on the verge of being married to a young man who seems a lovely lad (I certainly consider him a lucky one).

I had to miss all of the fun & festivities surrounding Scott & Kimberly's Down Under wedding in January, which makes being able to get to any of Whitney & Chad's special events doubly precious. I am still walking on air with happiness and looking forward to next month ~~ to meeting Chad's family, to the rehearsal dinner, the wedding, the reception, the brunch...

Sorry about the soppy, sentimental tone of this posting. Cannot be helped.
Love, love and more love to one & all - Gockers (as Whitney would say)

reposted with sweet memories of its author, KATHARINE REYNOLDS LOCKHART, by her scribe/daughter, Elsa Lockhart Murphy, aka DEEV