Saturday October 17 2015  TIME KEEPS MARCHING ON

CALENDAR WISDOM

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2015

CHILDHOOD IS LIKE A

MIRROR WHICH REFLECTS

IN AFTERLIFE THE

IMAGES PRESENTED TO IT.

Time cannot be held back.  As much as I would like to do so I cannot make it go slower.  Nor can I make it go faster.  Tomorrow we leave those we love behind.  One by one we are saying goodbye.  And over the years one by one there are those who are no longer here when we return the next time.  Some I can remember when I was with them last, others I cannot.  This time I am back and my cousin Janey is no longer with us.  Janey was my Aunt Esther’s daughter.  Actually, she still is, she just lives in heaven.  So much of life seems to be lived in the “was”.  So much seems to be lived in the “when”.  The best place for me to live is in the now. 

Today was a “now” day, to be savored moment my moment.  All day long we were surrounded by family.  When once our family were many and rambunctious, now out family is few and elderly sedate.  And, oh how I love these old folks.  After all, I am one of them (I just don’t quite know it yet). 

The highlight of today was to be with my sister Scarlett for most of the day.  I love my aunts and wish I could be here longer with them.  I even had the opportunity to visit with my cousin Loretta.  And I know I already said this, but it was just so awesome to actually be able to converse with Scarlett.  Several times I would forget that she could hear me and I would use hand motions and mouth enunciation to communicate.  Of course I caught myself and she understood and didn’t make me feel bad.  It is just so fun to have her included in conversations. 

Scarlett came over early.  I was preparing lunch to take over to Vela’s house.  Vela lives on the mountain close to where many of our family members are buried.  Scarlett wanted to go and see mama’s grave so we decided to drop the lunch off at Vela’s house, go to the graveyard, and then come back and eat.

The trip to Bowden Cemetery on Crow Mountain is the resting place for my grandparents, their young daughter Helen, my mother, and Vela’s husband Kenneth who died last year.  There may be others related to us but these are the graves of the people I knew.  It has been five years since mama went to heaven.  I have no pain in my heart for I know where my mother’s spirit resides.  The tombstones were cleaned off, we shared some memories, and slowly returned to Vela’s.

 Vela’s daughter Loretta who also lives on the mountain joined us for lunch.  I cooked, we all ate, and Loretta cleaned up the entire mess that I made.  It doesn’t get any better than that!  Thanks Loretta.  I’m sure glad you came for lunch but I certainly wasn’t expecting you to clean up.  It was greatly appreciated however.  We sat and talked and talked and talked after the meal.  Round tables make for easy conversing.

Soon it was time to part.  First Loretta left and we hugged.  I love my cousin.  I remember her as an infant and toddler and it brings back happy memories.  Then I hugged my Aunt Vela, twice, because she forgot I had hugged her the first time.  I didn’t mind another hug.  Aunt Vela is only about six years older than me so she has always felt more like a cousin than an aunt.  Dave, Scarlett, Esther and I took our leave and drove back down the mountain through Center Valley.  One more goodbye left to do.

Scarlett stayed as late as she possibly could.  She does not see well at night and must be home before dark.  Though our time was short we were able to talk and talk.  At least I talked and Scarlett listened.  She followed the conversation intently and I could see that she understood.  She occasionally asked me to clarify something I had spoken, but she followed our dialogue and banter very well.  I am still amazed!  I will never take her hearing for granted again.  Be thankful if you can hear.  I am so thankful for the miracle that God has worked in my own hearing.  And I am so thankful that our Grandson’s hearing loss was discovered early and that he was helped by a surgical procedure.  Hearing is so precious.  Scarlett is so precious.  And again, I had another farewell.  As she drove away from Esther’s driveway in her little red car, the window rolled down, she turns and laughingly smiles and hollers out the window, “I know I’ve said this before, but just remember you are so lucky I love you!”  And I heard her laugh.  That was the best gift she could have ever given me.  As she drove away her eyes were sparkling.

And I am lucky.  And I am blessed.  Being with my sister this weekend was like renewing a long lost friendship.  It was as if we both opened our hearts to each other and our spirits embraced.  Scarlett is a hard nut to crack, she doesn’t like to show emotion, and it took her years for her to say “I love you”.  I will tuck that love in my heart and remember the twinkle in her eye.  I receive it as a beautiful, priceless gift.   I love my sister too.  I truly am lucky.

Since I am living in the moment I will not let my mind wander to tomorrow and what it has in store.  I have said enough farewells today.  Tomorrow is a new day.  I will enjoy Aunt Esther while I am still here.

WHEN SOMEONE SAYS I LOVE YOU

By Kathleen Martens

October 17, 2015

When someone says “I love you”,

Never ever take it for granted.

Let the words grow deep in your heart

So they are deeply planted.

Care and nurture what it means,

Accept it as a priceless gift.

Allow it to sooth the times

When there may be stress or rift.

When someone says “I love you”,

Remember how the words ring true.

Allow your heart to sing the song

Forever I’ll love you too.

It has been an interesting evening sitting at Esther’s table writing this blog.  She sits close by, looking through a treasure box of memories that she holds on her lap.  She occasionally gives me something to read.  One item was an original typed excerpt, typed in 1979, of the first chapter of Aunt Annie’s book “A BAKER’S DOZEN”.  She then hands me a small book written by her daughter when she was eleven years old about “MOTHER”.  I read the entire handwritten, paper bound book.  It was so sweet.  If I had such a book written by my children, I too would still cherish it 50 years later.  It has been an easy, delightful time in Esther’s presence, glancing over the articles she gave me to read from years and years ago, reading letters from a sister written in 1998, and showing me pictures of bygone years.  Memories.  That is what Aunt Esther has.  Sometimes jumbled, but I believe most of them are delightful to her.  She is so remarkable.  One of the things that makes her so remarkable is she also has had events in her life that are not wonderful memories.  She chooses on which ones to dwell.  She dwells on that which is good.

 I wonder what I should reveal about other people’s lives so I hesitate to delve deeply into what they might think is personal information.  So I will hold my pen.  I just wish my readers could know this amazing person like I do.  I guess what it boils down to is that I come from a remarkable collection of people who have overcome odds you might not believe even if I told you.  And there is probably more that I don’t even know than what I do know.

Today is another day to remember.  I will cherish these moments long after I am gone from this precious house.  Thank you Aunt Esther for giving me so much love over the years.  Your love will live in my heart through eternity.  God was sure good to me to give me you, one of many unique and awesome aunts.  I have been blessed and like Scarlett said, “Just remember, you are so lucky…”

I know I am.

Good night and God bless you.