Anointed

Abstract

In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content: For years, Mary would lie awake at night tallying her memories of her mother, making sure none were slipping away. Martha, Mary's older sister, cared more for their mother's things—her shawl, the sandals imprinted with the shadows of her heels and toes. Martha disdained Mary's obsession with memories as much as Mary disdained Martha's obsession with objects, but even at eight and ten years old they each knew to allow the other her grief, and so their relationship, which could have turned into a permanent battleground, was mostly a place of peace.