Easter Memory

I have always loved Easter and springtime. The clean air outside is perfumed by daffodils and tulips, and the birds seem to sing just a little louder.

My mother took all ten children shopping each year to buy new clothes. My parents were hard-working people. My father's full-time job was as a mechanic at Boston Edison Company. He always believed he should have everything he desired for his family as long as he made sure "they didn't shut it off or take it away." To make ends meet, he sometimes worked a second or third job. My mother, in addition to making our clothes and cooking all our meals, worked full-time at night for "Ma Bell" as a telephone operator.

Shopping for new clothes once each year was a rare treat, and we always got very excited. We went to the local department store and had great fun choosing pretty dresses; straw hats adorned with flowers and a ribbon, a pretty coordinated coat, Patten-leather shoes, white ankle socks trimmed with lace, and all new underwear. My brothers got new jackets, pants, shirts, ties, shiny shoes, a nice fedora-style hat and, again, all new underwear.

Dressing for Mass on Easter morning after finding our filled Easter baskets that the Easter Bunny hid for us was so exciting! Parading into church all in a row with my very religious mother in the lead and my father pulling up the rear for his once-a-year token church visit was priceless. Our family filled an entire pew and we all looked great!

As neighbors and friends of our family watched us make our entrance, I know my parents felt the pride they deserved for working so hard to provide us with everything. We were poor, but we felt rich. Happy Easter to you and your family from me and mine. God bless us all.