Taking Bread “Flowers”

I heard the news today when the sun was hanging high in the middle of the sky. Upon my return from a short walk, I opened the door to let the puppy into the house but kept myself outside. A sad time and reflection was what I needed.

As I sat down on the stairs and remembered, I noticed the purple flowering lavender in my garden. They are at their peak perfuming, but Sue – my neighbor of ten years – wasn’t here to admire them or pick some for her pocket.

Her deadly illness finally took her far from us today – June 23, 2015. Her loving husband, her son growing into a fine adult, and her vivacious teenager daughter, the unkind disease separated her from them forever, thirty years before her time.

I thought of a few options of doing something nice for Sue’s loved ones. But in the end I’m Tibetan, and I did it the Tibetan way, just like my grandma would have done for such an occasion.

I made bread “flowers” and beef dumplings “momos” with scallions. Arranged the decorative dumpling pouches and the short-necked daisy-like yellow flowers in a wicker basket, Sue would have liked it.

I promised her husband to keep an eye on the splendid garden Sue established, while they are away by the sea.

Sue, I already miss you. I will miss you when I see your big dogs that you rescued. I will miss you when I see everything growing around your house that you adored. I will miss you, always.

And I have decided to appreciate my life more.