Last week, we said goodbye to my father's sister, Mary Catherine. She was a quiet, gentle woman who remembered every occasion with a handwritten note (and usually a $10 bill earmarked for ice cream sodas at Aglamesis or some other small pleasure). She spoke in a low voice, saved her mother's Irish linen, and surprised me a bit by delighting in the chaos that Nora brought into her quiet, orderly home.
My grandmother Peg gave Mary Catherine this Claddagh ring when she was a girl, and she in turn presented it to me when I turned sixteen. When Nora's old enough, I'll pass the ring along to her.
According to Irish tradition, one may not buy a Claddagh for oneself; it must be given as a gift. The heart represents love; the crown, loyalty; and the hands, friendship. I hope that, in addition to those virtues, Nora will inherit some of Mary Catherine's gentle nature and generosity.
2 comments:
This is a sweet tribute to Mary Catherine. I think you captured her well. And the photo is lovely.
It is a nice picture, isn't it? I love all the pits and worn spots on that old ring.
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