Cadbury Eggs
Last night, Linda told me, “I want to go see Daniel tomorrow.” It surprised me because her announcement was sudden and unexpected. I asked why to which she replied, “Every Easter when the kids were little, I’d buy them some of those nasty Cadbury candy eggs. Daniel just loved them. I want to take him some for Easter. ”
So, this morning she got up and drove the 40 miles to the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery. She wanted to go alone and I did not object. Before leaving town, she stopped and bought the eggs. She sent me the photo below and it made me cry. The cap he wore while he served our country in the Persian Gulf is included in the photo, but she brought ot home with her. She called me to say she was leaving the cemetery to head home and I could hear that she was crying. She later thanked me for letting her go alone and said she needed it. She said she has not cried that hard in several months.
I relate very well with her need to be alone with her son and her grief. Sometimes, we want to have others around us when we cry about our losses, but sometimes it is better to grieve in solitude. Until Linda told me of the Easter Cadbury egg tradition last night, I had no conscious recollection of it. I vaguely remember her giving the kids candy on Easter, but until now, did not know it was such a special memory for her. However, next year I will remember and that is a good thing; sad, but good.
So, this morning she got up and drove the 40 miles to the San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery. She wanted to go alone and I did not object. Before leaving town, she stopped and bought the eggs. She sent me the photo below and it made me cry. The cap he wore while he served our country in the Persian Gulf is included in the photo, but she brought ot home with her. She called me to say she was leaving the cemetery to head home and I could hear that she was crying. She later thanked me for letting her go alone and said she needed it. She said she has not cried that hard in several months.
I relate very well with her need to be alone with her son and her grief. Sometimes, we want to have others around us when we cry about our losses, but sometimes it is better to grieve in solitude. Until Linda told me of the Easter Cadbury egg tradition last night, I had no conscious recollection of it. I vaguely remember her giving the kids candy on Easter, but until now, did not know it was such a special memory for her. However, next year I will remember and that is a good thing; sad, but good.
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