The Way Things Were

 

The church had always been there, for over a hundred years, well before our parents had been born. Our Lady Of Good Counsel had been built as a missionary church of St. John's Parish, to fill the needs of the many workers brought into the community for work at the Powder Mills. That was a long  time ago. Mass in the Valley was at 7:p.m. on Saturday evening with Sunday morning Masses at both churches.

We always attended Mass then, except for Dave, who would gladly go on Easter and Christmas, and any celebratory days of family or relatives. Back in the day, he would say when asked  that he attended the Church of St. Mattress.  Our routine was the same, a permanent one, we would have said back then. My mother and Helen preferred to go to the  Saturday evening Mass in the Valley. And thus, so did Marilyn and David. Marilyn loved getting dressed up for church and would sometimes also go Sunday morning with me. David then would happily go along with his sister, the added incentive being in the company of Nana and Helen. I would get the kids ready, and then pick up Ma and Helen, and drop all four off at the church. Nana would take Marilyn's hand and David would walk hand in hand with Helen into the building. That was the way it was, would be forever it would have seemed if we could have it that way.

But even when we were oblivious to change, it happened anyway. One slippery wintry evening, the walkway into the church was treacherous, and the tables turned. Instead of Nana and Helen guiding the kids into the church, they each relied on the kids for stability, clutching on to them to keep from falling. I remember noticing that from my car window as I watched to be sure they all made it safely 

 up the steps.

   A small change but nothing to indicate things would not be the same forever, just as they'd always been. Our way of life stood still then, as if it would stay the same forever.

I can't remember when this established churchgoing tradition was altered, and then stopped completely. Maybe it was when the kids started religious instruction and had to alter the time of their church attendance. Or maybe it was in 1978 when Ma had a heart attack and didn't go to church anymore, having the priest visit her and Helen at home instead. The priest did that back in those days.

Change did occur that's for sure. Nana and Helen are no longer on earth, the church is not a church anymore , and Marilyn and David are not kids anymore.