The Valley of Angels

With minds a tad clearer and hearts more in the pure mode, we made our way to my grandparents' home in Los Angeles. They've lived in the same house for nearly 50 years. Complete surbana today, and sometimes when I'm in this city I tend to feel like it is like one quite large strip mall that extends block after block after... and funny to think when my grandparents moved in here, there were dirt lots and orange orchards around. It was especially great to get to LA with a block of time in silence beforehand-- or as much silence as a loud and distractive mind allows!-- than the alternative of 2-3 road wary days. I also appreciated it because it helped me to move further from being on the receiving to the giving end of service. My grandparents have provided so much for me during my life, and over time I began to realize it was becoming more my own role to be so selfless. But it wasn't as easy as I would hope, so strong were the memories of the secret cookie container in the garage. :) It was nice to feel just a small bit closer to meeting an obligation to be there for them in a similar way... but still so, so much to learn. (As you can see from the top picture, my grandfather still loves his cigars!!!

So the time passed with conversations, movies, all kinds of ethnic foods, meeting up with friends and family, helping my grandmother with the exceedingly complex new telephone, and looking at old photos, such as this one of my mom and grandfather at left. We also spent some time taking a picture or two ourselves in present day, a past time immensely enjoyed by my grandmother, as you can see here...




It was also a pleasure, actually, to have so much time. LA can be a little overwhelming for me, but with more than a few days to spare, I was able to observe these elements more clearly and react to them less. Even it means I would still advise profound consideration if one is actually going to head to the stores after instead of before noon. It was nice to have more time to adjust to it, remember the point of my visit, and get the most out of it. When it was finally time to leave, I really could have stayed longer!

Here is one last photo-- of our traditional New Year meal, with the delicious challah in the center of the table...