One word Jan. BEAUTIFUL!! Toni -----Original Message----- From: j <[email protected]> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> Date: Saturday, September 23, 2000 8:53 PM Subject: [DC] Sunday Afternoon Rocking >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >For those of you who have already read this, I apologize. My mind is not >on the creation of another Sunday Rocking piece today, and nothing I have >written previously seems to fit. And so I share with you a tribute I wrote >for an elder my family said good-bye to this week. Writing my memories >seemed to help me tell her good-bye, seemed to comfort others of our >family...and I hope that others of you will do the same for those elders >you too must say good-bye to one day...I think you will find it ealing. -jan > >Memories of Aunt Kay (from the Sunday Afternoon Rocking series) > >She was the "family glue". She was the dispenser of laughs and good humor. >She was the kitchen wonder who could have a "spread on the table" faster >than an unannounced visitor could walk from the drive to the back porch. >She was the listening ear that all members of the family shared their >secrets with, and knew those secrets would go no further. Her phone rang at >all hours, and folks dropped in at any time...she knew no strangers and >anyone she met she managed to turn into a friend. Hers was the home with >all the little comfort nooks...great cushy chairs here, rockers there, >swings here, little corners inside and out her home that invited a person >to simply curl up...relax. Hers was the home so comfortable that my father, >when needing a break, would come to her house and dare her to tell anyone >else in the family he was in town until he had rested and was up to >"visiting". She was the one who would, with sparkling eyes, tell you your >visit to her was "better than a dose of medicine", when in fact, you knew >it was quite the other way around. > >Today my aunt's laughter was finally silenced. The aunt who cuddled with me >forty years ago in a great soft feather bed and lulled me to sleep with >"fuzzy wuzzy bear" stories...the aunt who for years was my escape from the >stresses of young motherhood and a demanding career...the aunt who listened >to my secrets...who naughtily shared a smoke....who charmed my children >with her "red" room and "blue" room and "lavender" room....the aunt who >never forgot to have on hand my children's "favorite treats"....the aunt >who was the "family glue" has moved on to another family. >Typically, she handled her illness with stoicism, laughing in the face of >it, refusing to accept it, never speaking of it or inviting talk of it, >pushing herself to the limit and giving to her family right up until there >was nothing left of her to give. Pleasant aromas drifted from her kitchen >until she could no longer stand long enough to cook, and her welcome rang >out to an open back door long after she was able to walk to greet visitors. > >My Aunt Kay's body died today. But nothing else about her did. I have no >doubt her laughter is ringing as she is herself welcomed as she spent a >lifetime welcoming. And there is no doubt that the many of us, family and >friends, who were comforted in her warm cheerful presence will keep her >alive, revisiting many times the memories she made for us. > >"Come in here!" she would say laughing, greeting me at the door, "And what >do you mean...staying away so long??" Well, Aunt Kay, I don't suppose I was >ever "away"... your presence has warmed me all of my life, whether I was >physically in it or remembering it when I was away...and now you are >away...and your presence warms me still, and always will. Goodbye, dear >aunt...till we meet again. > >Love, >jan >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >(Note: Afternoon Rocking messages are meant to be passed on, meant to be >shared...simply share as written without alterations...and in entirety. >Thanks, jan) >Sunday Afternoon Rocking columns are distributed weekly on the list Sunday >Rocking. This is not a "reply to" list, and normally only one message per >week will come across it, that being the column. To subscribe send email to >[email protected] >Comments about the content of these messages can be sent to >[email protected] >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >_________________________________________________ > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >==== DanvilleCrossing Mailing List ==== >Okay.... so I don't descend from anyone...... >Now What ????