smoke signals

History is unfolding before our eyes. It goes along with moments like the death of Princess Di, 911... These are the moments we will still remember clearly when we are old and can remember little else. Talking with my mother the other day, I told her that I felt sad about what was happening to the Pope. I guess I find it strange that I feel so sad, being Jewish. My Mother told me that it will be interesting for me to see how the whole process works. She explained the conclave, the secrecy, the white smoke signal. She remembered it clearly from 25 years ago - when I was little - too young to remember. It suddenly occured to me that my mother was exactly my age at the time. "It felt like yesterday". Her words sucked the breath out of me, ground whipped out from beneath my feet. This moment screamed to me of my mortality.