April 2023

For your reading enjoyment, we continue to publish Rambling Vines by the late Marylea Vines as she recalls events and names of Corning folks from many years ago. We are currently in the year 1989 One thing for sure, if we live long enough, we are each going to see a time when it begins to look like all our older friends are going to disappear.

I was reminded early Tuesday morning how fragile and important human connection is to all of us. I had just fallen asleep around 4 a.m. I had been up all night and had laid down when my phone rang at 5:14 a.m. I thought it must be a misdial because it was so early and it wasn’t a family member calling. I tried to return to sleep but could not. About an hour later at 6:30 am the same number called again and my heart sank as it occurred to me that someone must be wanting to urgently reach me to call so early in the morning. I answered the call. A reader that I came to know through the Courier and now consider a friend called to let me know his mother had just passed. I recognized the pain of choking out the words that your parent has passed away the very first time. The words stick in your throat as your heart and mind object to their utterance. It’s as if your brain is saying to you that if you don’t say the words out loud then it can’t be true. I understand the first few hours of numbness and of wondering what to do next. I cherish the fact that this person trusted me with this most precious news.