Every Child Should Have an Aunt Effie

Mom (in purple) and Aunt Effie (in pink)

Let’s have more Aunt Effies in the world.

She’s the aunt who always has something that just came out of the oven.

If that something is chocolate chip bars with gooey meringue topping it is elevated to SOMETHING.

While you know Aunt Effie prefers her own children, you are certain she would have been happy had you also been her child.

She sees you sneak a second gooey chocolate chip bar but pretends not to notice even though you know she noticed. So you don’t need to be told to help her clear the dishes from the table.

But Aunt Effie will tell you not to worry about clearing up. Just go play with the cousins.

An Effie-type of aunt blithely ignores your ugly-duckling phase, no matter how many decades it lasts. She will always find something to compliment, even if it is just a different part in your hair.

The Aunt Effies of the world hug like mom and praise like mom and laugh at lame jokes like mom but never scold like mom. Yet they make sure you always know your mom is the greatest and scolds because she loves you. Even though all Aunt Effies thinks you are almost perfect.

An Aunt Effie never sits down, but moves from table to sink, from oven to husband, from niece to nephew, from the fragile elderly to the fragile child, and brings warmth and gentling and contentment along with her.

She is tired but tells you she is fine.

Her heart is hurting and she’ll say how it makes her happy to see your smiling face. And you realize that you were, in reality, pouting, but she isn’t being sarcastic. She is just looking at your petulant expression and bathing it in love.

Did you have an Aunt Effie? You are richer and better because of her.

If not, try to be one. (or the male equivalent) You don’t need a niece or a nephew. Even if there is no blood connection, every child should have an Aunt Effie.

A week ago I had an Aunt Effie. Now she is in heaven with the ever-expanding number of her loved ones.

Those who knew her as Wife, Mom, Grandma and Great-Grandma mourn.

And so do we–the ones who knew her as Aunt Effie.