Seeing Faces

"The idea that no one is perfect is an idea most commonly held by people with no grandchildren" - Doug Larson

When Maeve finds an idle moment during her busy day of reading and chewing on books and running around in circles, she often ambles down our hallway and begins pounding on the walls, looking pointedly at me.  This is my cue to come pick her up and show her the faces on our wall of family photos. 

They are mostly from our wedding, and Maeve loves to point out her favorite character in the tableau, Dada.  Ask her where Mama is and she will stare at you blankly.  But when I look at those photos, I feel something besides nostalgia for a great day and wishing Maeve knew what her Mama looked like five years ago.

I look at the faces of her great-grandparents, and I feel sad.  My own great-grandparents passed away when I was young; I'm not certain how old I was, but I was young enough not to remember them at all.  And that thought saddens me because I love my grandparents so much, it's hard to imagine that she will not remember them. 

I bring Maeve to visit my grandmother, who lives five minutes away, once a week.  It's mostly an exercise in "no", as I chase her around the house not letting her touch things, but my grandma is so pleased to watch Maeve skitter about that I try not to miss a week.  My grandfather who lives three hours away is harder to reach, but we have breakfast with him at a mid-point every few months.  Daddy's grandparents she may never meet, we don't know, as both sets live states away from us and don't travel.

Although I really can't bear the thought of losing my dear grandparents, I know I will be getting that call sometime in the next few years, so I try to be prepared for it.  But what's more unbearable is to think that Maeve won't remember how much her great-grandmother loves her, how her eyes light up when we come visit.  But maybe even if she doesn't remember what Great-Grandma looked like, she'll recall a feeling of pure joy when she sees the picture on the wall of the Great-Grandma she can't remember.

Time to look at the pictures again, Mama!

This is the one she likes to look at