90 Years

The number 9 is a thread constantly being rewoven into the fabric of my family. Any year ending in the number 9 has brought great things to us, especially the last year of each decade. Is it a coincidence that the number 9 is considered lucky in many cultures? For us it most certainly is.

Starting with my great, great-grandfather, Vilmos Lers, who was born in 1869, this streak of good fortune has repeated itself every 10 years on the number 9 up until this very moment. For instance, in 1969 my parents were married. After 10 years of trying to have children, they would have me in 1979. In 1989 we-- my parents, my sister (born, incidentally, one year on December 19th) and I-- returned home to the States after 4 successful years of living in Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun. Finally, in 2009, we exultingly inaugurated our 1st African American president, my parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, I would turn 30 in February and my grandmother, Hortnezia Lers Pogany, would celebrate 90 years of living on January 28th, 2009. This brings me to that other great revival of the number 9 in our family's history, 1919, the year in which my grandmother was born.

Hortenzia Lers entered this world in Budapest, Hungary-- the youngest child of Karoly Schwab and Hortenzia Lers. After being abandoned by their troubled parents, my grandmother, her sister and brother would be formally adopted by their maternal grandparents, Vilmos Lers and Elvira Reischl, the baron and baroness. Hortenzia and her siblings were reared lovingly from then on-- her sister would grow up to be Hungary's premiere stage and film actress and her brother a prominent lawyer. Hortenzia was set to become a nun when she met and fell in love with my grandfather, Andras Pogany. In 1942, they were married. In late 1956, with their 6 children in tow, they would escape the communist Russian occupation of Hungary through the country's western farmland into Austria under Soviet machine gun fire and the threat of the elements. Hortenzia and Andras would eventually bring their family to America to begin anew.

Through the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, they'd live the American Dream. They'd work desperately hard and they'd prosper. Hortenzia would learn English and get her Master's degree. Andras would get his American legal certification to practice law. They'd eventually send one of their children to Yale, another to Stanford and so on. They'd have 11 grandchildren. In 1992, Hortenzia and Andras would celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. A few years later, Andras would pass from this life without ever seeing his beloved homeland again, but he'd be proud of his decisions and the happy life they had afforded him.

Within the first 10 years of the 21st century, Hortenzia would see her grandchildren get married, become lawyers, engineers and accountants and see the birth of 2 great-grandchildren. She would celebrate her legacy as she'd turn 90-- 90 years of tough but blessed living.

My grandmother, the matriarch of our family, is the toughest 100 pound woman in the world. Her temperament and frail condition bespeak saintly deference and quiet introspection. But, there's no denying that under this muted veneer beats the heart of a lion that has clawed its way through war, the threat of poverty, hunger and even death to reach a place of elderly reflection. The truth is that her will is unbreakable.

My grandmother, Hortenzia Lers Pogany, has now lived on this planet for 90 years. Like many immigrants of her age and generation, she's a hero to her family. The web of life she's created with her body and her determination would literally not exist without her. This is how one woman can affect the lives and happiness of scores to follow her and, ultimately, change the world.

If she were writing this note, my grandmother would acknowledge her family as her life's greatest work. Because of this, I salute her on her 90th birthday and thank her for the way she has carried herself through 9 decades. Hers is, perhaps, the luckiest recurrence of the number 9 to all of us. God bless her.

Congratulations and thank you for 90 incredible years!

Love,

Roxie