Magical Moments of Waltzing Memories
As I sat sipping my tea in the bedroom this morning, the radio began playing Strauss’ Emperor’s Waltz. I smiled to myself as my mind sped back to the time I was about nine or ten years old. Papa’s huge radio was playing the same melody. It was a winter Friday afternoon, the Persian Sunday.
My parents had some friends over. I suppose they were the aunties and uncles, I cannot recall now. Instead of the regular tea, cheese toasts and cake, there was Tokaii wine from Hungary and I suppose the cheese toasts and salade d’Oliviers and other little finger food. The men were sipping their wine, very relaxed and jolly. The classical music played in the background. The Emperor’s Waltz began to play. With his little endearing smile Papa held his arms to me. In delight I got up and put my little feet on top of Papa’s shoes. We took the dancing position. Round and round we went. I felt so proud to be dancing the waltz with my Papa! I was exhilarated and never forgot the moment in time.
Forward in time to twenty or twenty five years ago. Again it was a Sunday evening in winter. It was snowing outside and the world was blanketed in a peaceful hush. Peter and I had lit a fire underneath the logs in the fireplace. Classical music was softly floating from the radio in the next room. There were no lights on except for the light from the burning logs. They crackled and merrily spit little sparks of fire once in a while. We sat there peacefully watching the logs burn. The Emperor’s Waltz began to play. With a smile playing on his lips, Peter got up and extended an outstretched arm to me. ‘Milady, would you care to dance with me?’ he asked.
In the quiet stillness of a heavy snowfall evening we twirled and twirled like two figurines in one of those globes that you wind and shake and the snow falls on them.
What magical moments in my memory these are.
How blessed I feel to have had such beautiful moments to cherish.
How very blessed I am to have had two such wonderful men in my life…