This event that happened a few years ago is rolling through my head today, and I thought I’d share it. About four or five years ago, I went to dinner with a friend on a Friday night. It was in a loud restaurant, and it was me and two other people. After we ordered, my friend said In my home country (which is Iran) when someone passes, we share stories and photographs of their life. Sure enough, he pulled out an envelope and started showing us all of these photos of his mother from when she was a baby up until much later in life. He was telling us stories about her and her family and her siblings. It was really sweet and wholly unexpected, especially coming from a person who is so reserved and private and cautious about the information he shares. It was a really special thing to bear witness to and partake in.

If any of you listen to episode 12, it was called ‘Letter to Peter (Part II) and Brief Thoughts on Grief. I speak a little bit to the fact that, in the United States, we don’t have a lot of traditions around death and dying, and speaking very broadly death is a subject that makes us a little bit uncomfortable. We tend to of fumble our way through it. Anyway, it was very sweet to learn about my friend’s mother through his eyes and his words. I remember thinking to myself, I could never speak about my mother without crying. But that was some years ago. Today I’d like to tell you a little bit about my mother because today is February 22nd, 2023, and she would have been 94 years old.

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