My Merita McCormack*
My beautiful, humble, patient, and nurturing artist mom has passed into Eternity.
She left this world on Thursday morning after a few brief hours of physical distress, as her soul gently separated from her body. Family members and medical personnel were present with her. Her last words to me were, “Goodbye…”
Hamide “Artemi” Bajraktari was born 90 years ago in Zëmblak, Korçë, Albania. She was the second daughter in a family where sons outnumbered the girls two to one. She grew up during the difficult years of World War II and later endured the harsh realities of life as the daughter of a Kulak under the communist dictatorship.
She faced cruel political persecution. Her family home was seized by the regime, leaving them without shelter or economic support. Through hunger and hardship, my mother remained remarkably beautiful, resilient, and cheerful. She learned to sew and developed a deep love for the arts. My father’s patient perseverance in matters of the heart eventually won her over, and they were married on November 26, 1959.
Their love bore the fruit of three children, and their bond remained deep and enduring. My mother truly loved my father and each of us with all her heart. She suffered greatly when the political persecution extended to her own children. Yet despite every reason for sorrow, she never burdened us with her pain. All we remember are joyful family gatherings filled with singing on happy occasions and respectful observance during times of mourning.
She was an exemplary, classy lady — a gifted seamstress who prepared many hope chests for brides-to-be, a fine cook, and a talented artist who created beauty from simple colored papers and cultivated vibrant flower gardens. She respected the elderly and mentored the young. She understood deeply what it meant to be both a daughter-in-law and a mother-in-law. Above all, she knew she was a beloved daughter of her parents and a cherished child of God, in whom she faithfully believed.
She left this life surrounded by love, continually pouring out love for others until the very end. As her body now rests in the tomb beside my father, we, her children, could not help but say as we parted from the service at the Albanian cemetery in Toronto:
“Sing on, Mommy!”
Rest in peace, oh Nënë!
* Merita is a Higher Ed professional based in Washington DC, a regular contributor to this newapaper.