Grandparents' Days

Today begins a bittersweet anniversary period. Between today and the end of the month, my family commemorates a series of important occasions.

Today, for instance, would have been my paternal grandparents' 68th wedding anniversary. And both my grandmothers were late-January babies, with their birthdays a week apart (I have many happy memories of joint birthday celebrations). Then, at month's end, we will say Kaddish for my paternal grandmother, the grandparent my sister and I were lucky to have with us the longest (she died in 2002).

January is also a time to say Kaddish for a number of other loved ones: the great-grandmother for whom my sister is named; my mother's beloved Aunt Syl; and my maternal grandfather.

All of them remain with us.