I am currently visiting my family in Montreal, Canada. The
richness and abundance that I have gotten to experience since being here is
limitless. As I enter into my childhood home, that I have lived in, from the
age of 8 years old until I married, the house seems strangely smaller, the
kitchen barely able to hold my siblings and my bigger bodies. And yet, the same
familiar smell of anise and cinnamon fills the kitchen as my father makes our
beloved childhood porridge -- "labouy" at night. On another early afternoon,
the smell of “bouillon” being cooked in the big “baume” (big pot) makes
my mouth water, as I anticipate eating the “dumbywe” (Haitian
dumplings), “bunun” (yellow and green plantain, carrots, “epina”
(spinach), in the chicken-based rich broth, tender pieces of chicken with
the bone-in. Much of visiting home surrounds feasting with family, and as I
introduce my daughter to her aunties, uncles and cousin, I am pleased that she
seems to love the various savory dishes. Her little mouth scrambles to keep up
with the many new tasty delights to her palate. For example, the perfect flaky
“pâté” (spiced-beef-filled salty pastry), her father gave her bits of, after our
Sunday morning Service as is customary in our Haitian-style-cultured church.
The gift of seeing my family enjoying her, and being enjoyed by
her almost brings tears to my eyes, and having her here brings this trip home
to a never-before happiness, and a whole new level for me.
But most of all, what I rejoice in, is seeing her with her Mommie
Cie-Cie and Pappy Gesner, her grandma and grandfather, my parents. The joy in
their faces is unlike anything else I've experienced, and she makes their heart
melt. As she learns to give them “bahs” (kisses) and decides she wants to do
that everytime she sees them, brings smiles all around. It’s amazing how they
are putty in her hands. :) Gone is the stern but kind (but seriously stern,
lol) parents I once knew. Instead it’s “Addie-die-die” and “viens trouver Pappy” (come find grandpa!). In all seriousness, though, it’s rich,
rich, rich, to see how my daughter brings something out in my father that I
have not quite seen before. A fierce yet soft and tender pride, at his
granddaughter who delights to climb all over him, prod his face, and passes her
hand over his head as she discovers her Haitian family! What happens inside my
own heart? A deep, deep gratefulness that I get to be a part of an incredibly
loving and kind family, with a solid foundation, getting to celebrate our
parents 40th marriage anniversary just last week with close friends and
family. Not having known my own grandparents very well, my heart is
overjoyed that my daughter has gotten to meet her grandparents and is getting
to spend extended time with them, as we live in another country and so many
kilometres away. The gift and blessing of family is unlike any other, and I am
deeply grateful to the Lord that, we who don’t get to dictate at how much time
we have on this earth, have been given this time as my parents grow older. Mesi Bon Dye. Thank you God. My heart can scarce take it all in.
- Achlaï Ernest Wallace
p.s. see? pure joy below! :)
Pictures from when Haddie was just born...I'll post pictures from our trip in a future post!
