Havilah

Sergei and Olya K. came over tonight for dinner. Before they came, Sergei asked specifically if they could watch Fiddler on the Roof tonight. Of course we said yes!

During most of the movie, the middle daughter is called by a shortened version of her name - Havah. But during the section of the movie where she runs off and marries Fyetka, her full name is said several times. Tonight it brought a certain pain to me. Maybe because our oldest son will be 30 on Sunday, I was reminded that our Havilah's birthday was also near. I was reminded that in just a few days our oldest neice would have been 32 years old. Havilah Zoe. She died of SIDS at just 4 months of age.

I couldn't help but wonder, how would life be different for my only brother if his oldest child had lived? God alone knows. In some way, little Havilah was spared much pain by God taking her home so young. Someday I will see her again.

On a funny note, one of our very young cousins could not say her name correctly. He called her "Hellofa Zoo."