Jane, Full Circle

Why bother with homemade when Mrs. Smith does it so well? Jane used to say, regarding her favorite dessert, pie. Another Janeism: she would hand over an unwrapped gift and tell you she used the emperor’s new clothes wrapping paper, which of course you clearly see, as it is visible only to the wise.

That said, Jane was lazy’s polar opposite. And saved time was stuffed full or shared.

If this sounds like a eulogy, well, it is. And Jane, my sister’s mother-in-law, was one of my favorite people. 

Jane was practical, but she believed in God, and second chances, because she lived them, and made them possible for others. She was gentle but relentless. She believed in sponsorship, 12 steps, and the Serenity prayer. Not that you’d know any of this unless you knew. She wasn’t sanctimonious, but hilarious. She knew the importance of helping hands, the sweetness of simple joy, how to have fun.

And now, we’re back to Mrs. Smith.