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A Division of drapory bOUtklUIL

The Promise Of
The Promised Land

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CORINNE STAVISH SPECIAL TO THE APPLETREE

,„,Hoop Crib

• white

98

269 value $450

By Customer Request

Baby Boutique Introduces

Our new line of imported Value Priced quality infant furniture.

MIN

infantrniture

149 98

value $250
Cradle
• white
Visit our showroom & discover our new line
of beautiful Berg. amin infantfurniture. Cribs,
Chests, Armoires, Baby Caddy's, Cradles,
and 3 Tier Changing Tables. We also carry a
great selection of nursery accessories:
Comforter sets, Mattresses, Blankets, Lamps,
Window Treatments, Wallpaper, and more!

:

Glider Rocker

25998

• DELIVERY SERVICE
• LAYAWAY PRO GRAM
• BABY REGISTRY

value $435

Milano Crib

269 9•8hite

value $450

THE APPLETREE

-fect Dreamer
Vibrating Mattress

Soothes baby like a
ride in the car!

12 98

ea.

Wilcn

Walled Lk/Novi

Canton

39800 14 Mile Rd.

42775 Ford Rd.

(810) 669-0330

30854 Orchard Lk. Rd.

(313) 981-7400

(810) 626-4313

Farmington Hills

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■ (,I1 W,Illt I Ile IIIIiille
q NIIICC 1` ,,,9

Sterling Heights

Troy

37130 Van Dyke

6046 Rochester Rd.

(810) 795-1500

(810) 879-1010

W

e are told: An
old man
plants a tree;
an emperor
rides by and laughs at one so
old planting a tree whose
fruits he will never see. The
old man explains that he is not
planting the tree for himself
but for his children and their
children. Thus, our tradition
teaches that one generation
plants to nourish the future. In
turn, those children plant
trees to memorialize the past.
Nurturing cycles in soil.
Disease, dying and death
dominated the first months of
1996. My grown children,
Nicole and Scott, and I criss-
crossed the country at hospitals
and cemeteries. My former
mother-in-law, who was my
dear friend, died in Chicago.
Two weeks later, my stepfather
died in Horida. One
. month lat-
er, my dad died in Arkansas.
We buried him in Chicago
where he had spent most of his
adult life.
What kept us sane during
multiple deathbed visits and
three frenetic funerals within
six weeks was the inherited
sense of humor of the grand-
mother my children always
called "Mama" and of my fa-
ther, "Papa Marty." They both
were colorful, strong, indepen-
dent, tough, fun and funny. Be-
cause these two had given us
all such laughter, we celebrated

their lives by swapping their
stories.
After a winter of death, a
first trip to Israel beckoned us
with the promise of healing, re-
newal and warmth. We look
forward to it like the custom-
ary kiss that comes with the
bandage -- Mama's kiss, Papa
Marty's bandage.
When Scott's new job pre-
vented his going, Nicole and I
were disappointed but not de-
terred. And on the second day

of the trip, we experienced the
emotional comfort and promise
of Israel. We were taken to
plant trees overlooking a mag-
nificent view behind Hadassah
Hospital and the Chagall win-
dows.
We had sent money to plant
trees in memory of my stepfa-
ther. He was a religious man,
and the symbol of the trees
would have meant a great deal
to him. My father was not reli-
gious. However, he was knowl-
edgeable about Israel,
passionate about history, and
dramatic enough to appreciate
the symbolism of being "plant-
ed" in Jerusalem. My mother-

Corinne Stavish is a freelance storyteller and faculty member in
the department of humanities at Lawrence Technological Univer-
sity