What would Erma say?

(written on 30 July 2007)

Last night, I found myself crying over cellphone messages of almost 2 years ago. I was actually reliving it. It takes talent to live the moment but what I have is the knack of living moments past. To actually feel the emotion I felt at that time. I would cry if I did cry 2 years ago. I would really get down to recalling the weather at that time, what I was wearing and whatever small details I need to be really in that moment. And last night, I was on a roll, my creative juices were overflowing. I even set the mood by putting on reflective music. I could have auditioned for the part and would have gotten it. What was scary about this reliving role playing was I felt so sad that I had to call up my dear friend. I had to tell him that I don’t want that moment to happen to me again. He told me to erase the messages. And he dared ask, hypothetically, “What would Erma say?” Oh, no! I know what Mrs. B would say. She would ask permission to use me as an example in one of her articles of how women are emotional. But in the same article she would say that being emotional also makes us endearing. Of course she would write this with so much eloquence.

This morning I just finished reading “Forever, Erma”, a collection of the best of the best of Erma Bombeck’s articles. (In my opinion all her articles are the best of the best.) When I was reading the Tributes, I found myself crying. (Well, it’s not as if I didn't cry reading most of her articles.) You could see how great a humorist she was by the amount of sadness people felt when she passed away. I never got to meet Erma but how I wish I could have at least written her to say how much inspiration she has given me. I may not be an American nor a housewife but her stories and how she writes them really strikes a cord in my heart and in my life. Each story seems to reflect some story of your life that is too good not to be written about. And here was a person who’s actually reliving it for you, writing it down and many readers relating to it.

And so, I cry tears, both tears of joy and tears of happiness. What would Erma say to the fact that I cry when I feel like crying? I’m pretty sure she would say that she’s proud of me.