Last night, the ancestors crowded our circle. Their presence crowded our space, the boundaries of the circle swelled with the fullness of spirit within.
We chanted the names of our beloved; departed family members, friends, honored predecessors like Gerald Gardner and Doreen Valiente, pets, and others. As we chanted and later as we ate and drank with them, memories flooded us. My mind couldn’t hold all the names and faces and moments that were rushing to me.
I was particularly moved to know how my family has worked to retain the family connection that let me honor my dead. I know people who really have no idea who their relatives are or were. Who maybe know names but don’t know the people in any kind of real way.
I know these people. I remember these people. I honor these people:
My mother’s parents, Murray and Ann.
Ann’s mother Mollie.
Ann’s sisters Avis and Francis, and her brother Sam.
My father’s parents, Sunny and Jean.
Sunny’s brother Leo.
Jean’s mother Rose.
Jean’s sister Milly (Mimi) and Mimi’s husband Irving, and Jean’s brother Alex.
My step-father Harvey.
Harvey’s brother Kenny and their aunt Evy.
To my honored ancestors: I remember you.
Yeah – me, too. Thanks for presencing my memories. Just one thing. Dad’s name was like your sister’s – Sunny. He was.
(I was gonna say…)
That’s what I thought, actually, but Jay’s family tree has it with an “o” and I thought he’d have the authoritative spelling. I’ll fix.