Memorial in Vilnius

On Monday, December 14th, Mama's colleagues and I went to the grave at three o'clock. Some other people did too, and some had gone the day before. A memorial service was held at 5:30 and after that we watched the movie my father made. As I explained at the grave site in an ad hoc speech, I was not the one to organize the events. The difference between the 364th and 365th days is lost on me, but I'm glad that if others can get something out of it, they are kind enough to organize it for all.

I didn't mention at the time that I see her birthday as a far more appropriate day to gather and "remember" her (as if we didn't day dream about her daily). We're planning to start the tradition this coming summer.

The service was attended by many indeed, we were all surprised to see about a hundred people; nobody told a lot of people about it, but I guess each person passed it on to a couple more. President Adamkus was there in addition to most of the relatives off the top of my head, all of the colleagues I can think of and many I didn't recognize.


Afterward we watched the movie in the Jesuit high school joined to the church through back hallways. I had decided with only a few hours left to translate my father's speech and Whitman's poem; I wish I had had time to rehearse it more, but people told me I did well. It was a big hit: people were surprised that the movie was so well made, and many asked for copies of it.