I finally finished reading Angela's Ashes: A Memoir, by Frank McCourt, which I started a couple of months ago. Longest it's ever taken me to read a book. Mom was an avid reader, but while she was taking chemo and radiation, she lost the desire. She said she couldn't focus and concentrate, and then later she was just too tired. I remember many years ago seeing a Twilight Zone episode w/ Burgess Meredith. He worked in a bank and always took his lunch in one of the vaults so he could read. One day a nuclear bomb wipes out everyone, but he was saved b/c he was underground in one of the bank vaults. He didn't mind that he was the only living being b/c now he had all the time in the world to read. He goes to the public library and stacks up all the books he wants to read on the library steps. He counts off each year's worth of books that he'll be able to read in peace and w/o interruption. Somehow his glasses fall of his face, and while he's blindly searching for them, he crushes them. Now he has all the time in the world to read, but lacks that ability. Which would be worse: to have the desire but lack the ability or have the ability and lack the desire?
Back to Frankie's memoir.....near the end he has saved enough money for him to leave Ireland and return to America. His family throws him a farewell party at which his mother sings:
"A mother's love is a blessing
No matter where you roam.
Keep her while you have her,
You'll miss her when she's gone."
(p. 357)
I found solace in a book, not surprising, I often do. For even though these words could depress, I know no matter the year, no matter the day, no matter the place, even though Mom is gone, she'll wish me well.
No comments:
Post a Comment