World According to Pete

Wacky random ramblings about wacky random trips

May 3, 2024

Bit of a send-off for my mom

Many moons ago, my mom confided to me that in Notre Dame she had once lit a candle there for her own mother. My mom was not religious whatsoever—in fact she was very much anti-religious—but she told me of the surprising comfort that act gave her at the time.

So here in Athens, a place my mom never made it to but would have absolutely reveled in, one day we happened upon a beautiful small chapel, perhaps a thousand years old (give or take).

A special ancient chapel in downtown Athens — Quite compact, yet containing so much

Four-foot candelabra where we lit my mom's candle — Acting on impulse, I found a small taper and lit it in her memory…. I have never done anything remotely like this before, but in this place, at this time, it felt like the perfect thing to do. And I watched the flickering flame, hovering between saying good-bye and perhaps saying hello, thinking of you?

Sam trying to keep the tears away — We are struggling to hold it together (I think I ultimately failed)—her untimely passing was only two weeks ago

We are struggling to hold it together (I think I ultimately failed)—her untimely passing was only two weeks ago

Pic from outside, you can still see her flame through a crack in the doors — In my mind, somehow that’s her

Candle still aflame — Fittingly, the only candle going

From street-level, still going.... — Still burning… she was always strong-willed 🙂

The little chapel is so beautiful! — The little chapel street-side

Wow, deep breaths. As my mom would say at a time like this, “Do not mourn the dead: life is for the living!” And whatever personal calamity had befallen her, she would always stiffen her back and soldier bravely on. Because obviously life goes on.

And this next bit is so my mom too: food! So to lay to rest another Mason-family bit of lore, many many years ago we had a family trip to Italy, and four-year-old Matthew decided he wanted the blue ice-cream. Being a fairly new mom, Sam’s knee-jerk reaction was that any such thing as blue ice-cream was little better than instant poison to her young offspring! “Nooooo!!!!” Poor Matt didn’t get his blue ice-cream… but neither did he ever forget. So over the years we repented and promised him the blue ice-cream should we ever find it again—but we never ever did see it again, never once! Until this very day, the day we lit the candle for my mom. You can call it chance, but if ever my mom could act from beyond the grave, it would be something like this 😀 “My grandson needs his special ice-cream!”