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Carole Duff's avatar

Last Friday afternoon, an email from our small group leader, a retired pastor, arrived in our inboxes: "On Sunday, we will celebrate our 55th Wedding anniversary, and we would like for you to come and celebrate with us. Sunday Afternoon 4:30 at our place. Hamburgers, brats, and the fixin's. Yes, it's late notice, so if you can't make it, we understand... just let us know." After checking with my husband, I replied, "We look forward to celebrating with you. What would you like us to bring?" "A sweet to share," he wrote. Cake. It had to be a frosted layer cake with two, "5" candles. I pulled out my mother's recipes for chocolate cake and creamy maple-syrup frosting. Our tribute to their 55 years together. During the cookout, the couple shared "for better or worse" stories and their wedding album. Many pictured were no longer alive. We all knew he'd had a very rocky time with health issues this past winter. All the more reason to celebrate. At the end of the meal, I brought out the cake with lighted candles. We sang heartily and took pictures of what could be the last tribute.

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Intact Animal's avatar

I won that 50 bucks thanks to Mom. Her effort had all but guaranteed my 1st place victory in the 1985 costume contest held at the annual 4th of July parade. She had gone the extra mile, cutting, stitching, and sewing a life-size replica fur suit complete with holes for my 6-year-old eyes. It fit perfectly as I proudly rode my BMX bike down Main Street with Dad trailing behind as insurance against a fall. For a moment, I became an Ewok, a little furry forest creature made famous in George Lucas’s 1983 film “Return of the Jedi.” I dedicated myself to that role in the mid-summer Iowa sun. I took that costume seriously because my mom had made it so real. She taught me how a little extra effort is worth it. That’s the way to dedicate to a project, to life. To celebrate the 4th of Julys and birthdays, the evening meal. To pay tribute to the day.

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