Elizabeth JoAnn Bright

An anniversary and photo album of my mother

Today’s date, December 29, is the nineteenth anniversary of my mother’s death. Hard to believe it’s been that long. It touches me how often she’s in my thoughts, how often I replay singular memories.

Elizabeth was born on August 12, 1925, one of five children in an Irish Catholic family in Minneapolis.

She had an adventurous, unexpected life. The older I get, the more I wish I’d known her as an adult, “not-as-my-mom,” but as the woman the following photographs give a hint at.

Mama didn’t speak much about her life to me. I follow the breadcrumbs. I knew her psychically as if we were twins, but . . . I didn’t know her live(s) at all. I imagine other daughters may empathize.

SUSIE'S CHRISTENING

Washington, DC

1958 —
My parents lived in DC briefly when they returned from India. Just long enough to deliver me! Elizabeth preferred her Indian clothes and had an hard time readjusting to the States. Most of the only few friends they had in town were Indian linguists.