Love and Chocolate

When my siblings and I got together to write my mother’s eulogy this summer, I found out a few things about my parents that I had not been aware of.
I am one of five children, the fourth actually. My three older siblings are ten and more years older than me. My younger sister and I are just a year apart. When the five of us were discussing what we should talk about at the funeral, we ended up telling each other anecdotes about our parents’ lives. Many of these stories I was familiar with, because my parents had told them to me, or I had been part of them. There was one tale my older siblings new about, that I had no idea of. It is a story of my parents’ courtship.

My mom and dad used to walk by each other on their way to work every day. They would “meet” in the same spot almost daily. They didn’t know each other, but certainly were aware of passing by one another. They developed a mutual liking and after several weeks, my dad found the courage to speak to my mom and ask her out. They started dating and soon got engaged. This was during World War II when life was pretty hard for everyone in Europe. Switzerland was not actively part of the war, but nonetheless, air raids and food rationing were a reality for every Swiss. My mom had a sweet tooth and especially loved chocolate. Chocolate, however, was an item that could only be obtained with a rationing coupon. My mother was saving money to put together her wedding trousseau for which she bought bed linen, tablecloths, and other essential household items she lovingly embroidered. My mom soon realized that she would not be able to afford all the things a bride normally brings into the marriage. Drastic measures were asked for. My mom started to save her chocolate rationing coupons, so she could exchange them for coupons that would allow her to get linens in time for the wedding. She must have really loved my dad!

I was smiling when I heard this story. I am glad my siblings and I spent time together exchanging stories and memories. It made this difficult time in our lives an experience that we all cherished. Grieving is not easy. Sharing stories about my mom and dad gave us pleasure and made us laugh and cry. The saying that people stay alive in their loved-ones' memories is true. As long as we share stories and remember each other through them, we live on after we leave this earth.