Thursday, March 26, 2015
Praying for Polish Angel Wings
Chrusty, or Polish Angel Wings, are fried dough pastries: crisp, sweet, bow tie shaped and sprinkled with powdered sugar. A traditional Polish Holiday treat, Mother has been making them for as long as I can remember. This year she planned to make the usual six dozen and present them as gifts to her neighbors and friends at church.
This Christmas would be different. Since September the seizure-like dizzy spells were becoming more intense and debilitating. The tiny tumor they found in her brain was now growing. She described one of these spells to me this way: "It is like everything stops and a thick fog falls over me. I am not sure what is happening or where I am and there is a strong smell of death." This was alarming to hear. Her premonition proved true. By Christmas she was in the hospital with a large tumor now putting pressure on her brain.
During a hospital visit I called my sister-in-law, handed the phone to Mothe,r and listened. "So nice to speak to you darling and how are those grandchildren?" The conversation continued: "Last week I was in my kitchen making Chrusty, you know? I had finished making all the dough and then all of sudden Wow, I thought I would fall down, I could see nothing. And I thought 'Oh please God not now, such a shame it would be to let this dough go to waste. Please God give me strength to finish" In a voice that became animated and joyous she continued. "The spell it passed and the cloud slowly lifted. I was able to finish making the Chrusty. And I said 'Oh God now I know You love me. Look how beautiful they are. Thank you for letting me finish.'"
I thought about the meaning of this story: Mother was praying that she could complete making her gifts. With a bulging brain tumor tormenting her what mattered was to finish making something to give away. In the kitchen her Glumpkie, wrapped with tenderness, her Pierogis, packed and pinched with love, were given away. Color patterned Afghans that took 80 hours to knit became gifts.
When next I visited mother I told her what a wonderful story she told and that it reminded me of what St. Francis of Assisi said "Remember that when you leave this earth you can take nothing that you have received - only what you have given." May her lifetime of selfless giving be an inspiration to us all. No need to pray for Chrusty, Polish Angel Wings, any more Mama; you're work is finished, you have them now.