I apparently had a lot on my mind back in March, with 15 different post on this blog. April has proven to be quite the disappointment to my many loyal readers (that's you Kim and David L. ). I had a number of people (2) ask me this month "why have you quit writing?" Well, I've been writing, but just not in this forum. Writing is turning out to be one of my favorite hobbies. Who would have guessed the kid who graduated high school with a "D" in Language-Arts (English) would find enjoyment in reading and writing? I realize my grammar and spelling might reflect my high school grade average, but my desire and passion do not. I guess that goes to show that who we were when we were 18 isn't necessarily who we "grow-up" to be. Thank God! It is like we get to live several different lives in this one gift of "our existence."
I had a conversation with Angela the other night about two of my lives that have unpredictably overlapped. As I was sitting at home in a rocking chair that once belong to my grandparents, I remembered that this is the same chair where I once sat as a child on my Grandfather's lap. We would look together out his back window at his well maintained yard, with the red VW bug and his camper parked in their usual spots. We would be listening to "How Great Thou Art" or "Old Rugged Cross" playing in the back ground while my Grandma was in the kitchen fixing either a ham sandwich with butter, her ever popular lemonade, or her equally appreciated fudge. And at the same time I remember her working to stay in the conversation with us even though she was in another room. And my grandfather would always find a way to start his two finger walk on my leg that ended with him attacking me in a flurry of tickling. I remember my laughter, but my memory is more of him laughing after this tickle attack. He had a laugh that wasn't fake. His love for me and his love of life were evident, even to, and perhaps especially to a child. Now I'm sitting on this same chair, and my kids are now the age I was in this memory. And Angela and I are also looking at a clock on our wall that once shared the room with this same chair back in Iowa. I never remember a time when this chair or that clock wasn't a part of my life. The clock today is reading 2:00 pm right now. It has read 2:00 pm about 13,850 times in my life and, God willing, I could see 2:00 pm another 13,850 more times. But when my last 2:00 pm does come, I feel quite confident in the fact that the fond memories of my grandparents will become realities again...I can almost tasted that ham and butter sandwich and I can almost feel that two fingered tickle march starting again!
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That was a great one for me to read! Thank you...that brought back so many memories for me...most of them the exact same! Plus a few tears :)
I love the memories you have triggered in us all with this blog you just wrote! I was just rereading what you wrote just to take myself back again. As I was reading I was looking around my room at their old dresser...which reminded me how that room was next to the room where Grandpa played checkers with me all the time...while Grandma was in the kitchen :) And Mark is probably sitting at their old table. How wonderful is it that we all have memories in our home of such wonderful grandparents. I think that is just the coolest! I pass it everyday but today I have looked at it different, thank you Greg! Good job and welcome back...we missed you!!!
Thanks for the feed back Kim. This post has apparently stirred up a lot of emotions in the family. I had no idea what I was going to write when I sat down at lunch the other day, and this post is what came out. Only after I started getting the feed back about this topic, did I realize how many people these two "Grandparents" impacted. There's at least 9 other people in this world who can relate well to my memory of that small house in that small town in Iowa. It's a big part of all our lives. And I'm glad I was lead to write about this glimpse of a memory with them. It goes to show how important and how powerful the memory of our "loved ones" can be!
Hi greg testing moms name
Taking us back to those wonderful memories of your grandparents and my parents was truly a gift to all of us, Greg!! Thank you for that beautiful journey down memory lane!
We all remember each of the details that you so wonderfully described. It brought tears and warm feelings and I miss them both very much. Bob and I have often said how much they would enjoy being with us as we gather our family together. They would be so proud of all of their adult grandchildren and their lives and families. And, oh how my Dad would love to do that "double finger walk" for the great-grandchildren and make them giggle!! Your extended family has enjoyed this written account of the memories of all of us, of two very special people, my dear Mom and Dad. So many wonderful times, together, in that small house in Iowa. Thank you, Greg!
Ok, I gotta be fast here. I'm a new reader. I appreciate not only your sentiments, but also your writing style. I'm sure I'll be back.
BTW, I read your April Fool's post first, and was ready to mooove on, assuming I had found another looney. I must say, by the time I got to the end of it, I noticed my stomach had tightened, and I was holding my breath in sheer shock at someone's stupidity. I don't know you, but you got me good!
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