Savannah, the romantic heroine of Dragonflies at Night, has a very special relationship with her mother’s sister Suzanna (aka Auntie Zan) who took her in when Savannah’s parents died. This is an image I found online of what I imagine Auntie Zan looks like.
Later in the novel, there’s a sweet scene where Kline, a good friend of our hero Ben, introduces Savannah to his little girl, Carly. She has always called our hero “Uncle Ben,” and assumes that she should call his new girlfriend “Aunt Savannah.” Thus begins another very special auntie relationship with a very special niece who, in this case, is not a blood relative.
My mom was an only child, and my dad’s two sisters lived several hours away, so I missed out on a close aunt-niece connection. Because of this, I have always tried to be a “special aunt” to my own nieces and nephews (big hugs to Allison, Stephanie, Mike and Pete).
My mom’s two closest friends were “honorary aunts” for me. From the time we could talk, my brothers and I called them “Aunt Peggy” and “Auntie Hazel.” They always felt especially blessed that my mom encouraged us to do this because they didn’t have nieces or nephews of their own. Auntie Hazel had an important influence on my spiritual life; she lived close by and was a good listening ear/sounding board when my adolescent relationship with my mom became difficult.
What about you? Is there a special Aunt who has made a different in your life? Tell me about her. Maybe she’s blood-related, maybe not. Aunts come in all sizes, shapes, and colors; as you probably know, DNA isn’t always a factor!
Ann. I just now have read a preview for one of your books, and now this blog on aunts. My mother died at a young age (33), leaving behind four children. Our names are (and ages at the time were): Myself (14), and my brother, Mike (12), and my sisters; Pam (8), and Teresa (4). Of course, it was devastating. My mom’s brother (Uncle Jack) is married to my Auntie Verna. (Yes, we all still call her “Auntie”). Both of them were special to us before, and became even more so after our mom’s death. At this point in my life, I treasure all the times I had and that I still have with my Auntie Verna. She is a beautiful woman, with a soul that is even more beautiful. She is wise, and fun, and all the things that a godly woman should be for others. She is an excellent cook! In fact, last year her daughter, grand=daughter and I all joined her for two days of cooking lefse. I had not done that before, and was glad for the instruction and for the time spent together. It was fun too! And she was a teacher for many years. Her students still love her. I love her. She is thinking of moving across the state, and it breaks my heart. But, we have FB time, and we will certainly get together as much as possible! Thank you for this way for me to put into words how much I treasure my Auntie. ~ Sincerely, Debbie Hayden
Debbie, thank you so much for your kind comments about my blog posts! It sounds like you and Savannah (in Dragonflies at Night) have a LOT in common. And I hope your Auntie Verna stays right where she is 🙂