Memory Lane

My sister Diane is very good with emotion management, and it is at times like this that I wish she were around. Today was perhaps the most emotionally charged for my mother, and at times, I witnessed her wipe tears away from her eyes. Being in Hue triggered so many memories of her childhood and young adulthood. Every object, landmark, and or place reminded her of some thing from her past. This ride down memory lane, at times, was very difficult, but by the end of the day, my mom did let out a sigh of relief.

Jeanne D'Arc School:
Our first stop was my mom's elementary school, Jeanne D'Arc, in Hue. The school's name has changed, but the building still stands. From behind the gate, she saw the kids line up which really made her smile.

Dai Phat Thanh Hue:
Dai Phat Thanh Hue is the radio station in which my mother performed. She was a bit expressionless when we drove up to this building. I'm actually not sure what was running through her head at that time. I really couldn't tell what emotion was lurking around in her head.

Ba Noi's House:
Amazingly enough, my great grandmother's home is still standing in Hue. We stopped by to take a look, and I could see my mom's demeanor slowly change. She stood on the side walk and just stared into the entrance. She then turned to me and pointed to the window near the door and said, "That's where Ba Di Doc Binh, your great great aunt, use to beat me."

Phuc Cam:
This church is where my mom worshipped as a child. She instantly noticed that the choir section had moved to the lower level. If she could, I'm sure she would have stepped up to the plate and sing the Halleluja.

Soeur Cephas:
Can you believe that my mom's high school teacher is still alive? Can you believe that after 50 years, she still remembered her prized pupil? Believe it or not, this is very true.

Cha Binh:
Cha Binh, another relative that my mom hasn't seen in over 30 years. These reunions really are a lot of fun to watch.

Our Lady of La Vang:
My mom is a very spiritual person, and when our cab driver said that he could take her to the Our Lady of La Vang shrine, I thought my mom was going to have heart attack. This is the site of the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of La Vang, a Roman Catholic sanctuary, commemorating a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary that was seen there in 1798. When we arrived, my mom went to every Virgin Mary statue and prayed. She was definitely in complete awe. Later in the cab, she said that she never ever thought she would ever see Our Lady of La Vang, and to have had this opportunity was priceless.

En route back to our hotel, I heard my mom tell Di Minh that this was the best day ever.