a tree in greenwich

On November 29th, I as in Greenwich Cemetery, visiting family... with family.
My first niece, Christina, had been wrapped in thoughts of my Mama, her Grammy, all week.
When we'd met for lunch on that Thursday, this was our primary destination.
I'd left her to commune with Mama as I walked around, capturing three trees in fall color.
This was the third tree photographed, farthest from the Barry plot.

I posted this flaming dogwood as my background photo on fb, noting its location.
My nephew Stephen responded that he had passed that tree a few days earlier.
I asked if he was the one who'd placed stones in a ring on his sister's grave.
No, he had not, but he had placed a rock on top of one of those stones.
I reminded him that it was his Grammy who had started that tradition in our family, after she saw "Schindler's List".

Christina was Mama's first grandchild.
Stephen was Frank's first grandchild.
Both were born in March of 1983, within days of each other.
Both were not yet two years old when Mama and Frank wed in 1984.
Nice symmetry there, something my mother always appreciated.

Last Friday, I noticed something different in the cinema listings.
"Schindler's List" was back on the silver screen!
This year marks the 25th anniversary of its release...
which means Mama had been placing rocks for seven years before she died...
which means these two grandchildren had seven years of that tradition,
during their teen years, the years we all remember.
That also means they've had eighteen years of seeing rocks on her gravestone.

Today, in celebration of what would have been Mama's 81st birthday, I went to that movie.
Even though this was the coldest day Savannah has had in many months, I threw myself out of my house and went to see this film that had made such an impact on my mother.
Right place, right time.
Carolyn had joined me, so I would not be alone.
Right place, right time.
I had opted to go home after, rather than going to a restaurant with her.
That was the right decision, confirmed by my odometer as I pulled up in my drive.
Right place, right time.

Such a symmetrical reading could only be meant for reassurance, for comfort, as yet another of her birthdays passes by.
An even number that could also be interpreted in a mathematical form: 2 x 25 = 50.
202550
A bit of fun with numbers, from the universe, from her, to me, with love.
Right place, right time.

i thank You, God.