Subject: Things we keep. I grew up in the forties and fifties with practical parents - a Mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it - a Father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones. Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, undershirt shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dish towel in the other...... It was the time for fixing things - a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep. It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy. All that re-fixing, re-heating, renewing, I wanted just once to be wasteful. Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant there'd always be more. But then my Mother died, and on that clear fall night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any 'more'. Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up and goes away.....never to return. So ........ while we have it ........................it's best we love it........................and care for it ......and fix it when it's broken .......and heal it when it's sick. This is true ................. for marriage................and old cars ............and children with bad report cards ..................and dogs with bad hips .......................... aging parents..........................and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep. Like a best friend that moved away - or - a classmate we grew up with. There are just some things that make life important.................people we know who are special................ and so, we keep them close! I just sent this to someone who is special to me!

Gosh! I guess this means we are all special since you sent it to all of us. Did you write that? Sounds like something you might write. Hope we get to see you again sometime. TomR --- Nancy <lacywinston@earthlink.net> wrote: > Subject: Things we keep. > > > I grew up in the forties and fifties with > practical parents - a > Mother, > God love her, who washed aluminum foil after > she cooked in it, > then > reused it - a Father who was happier getting > old shoes fixed than > buying new ones. > > Their marriage was good, their dreams > focused. Their best friends > lived barely a wave away. > > I can see them now, Dad in trousers, > undershirt shirt and a hat > and Mom in > a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dish > towel in the > other...... It > was the time for fixing things - a curtain > rod, the kitchen > radio, > screen door, the oven door, the hem in a > dress. Things we keep. > > It was a way of life, and sometimes it made > me crazy. All that > re-fixing, re-heating, renewing, I wanted > just once to be > wasteful. > > Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away > meant there'd always > be more. > > But then my Mother died, and on that clear > fall night, in the > warmth of the hospital room, I was struck > with the pain of > learning > that sometimes there isn't any 'more'. > > Sometimes, what we care about most gets all > used up and goes > away.....never to return. > > So ........ while we have it > ........................it's best we > love it........................and care for > it ......and fix it > when it's > broken .......and heal it when it's sick. > > This is true ................. for > marriage................and > old cars > ............and children with bad report > cards > ..................and > dogs with bad hips .......................... > aging > parents..........................and > grandparents. > > We keep them because they are worth it, > because we are worth it. > > Some things we keep. Like a best friend that > moved away - or - a > classmate we grew up with. There are just > some things that make > life > important.................people we know who > are > special................ and so, we keep them > close! > > I just sent this to someone who is special to > me! >

Tom, Yep, it does mean that you are all special to me, even when I act like y'all are on my last nerve. Nope, I only wish I could've written something this interesting. And, ain't you about the sweetest guy in the world to think I could have. I hope we get to see each other again soon, too. Maybe we should all get together and have a big humongous Oregon County family reunion. If my old memory serves me correctly, everybody was pretty much on their Sunday behavior last time we visited Oregon County. Enough of that. I say we hit again and hit hard. Show the folks down 'yon how their descendants REALLY turned out. HA! Tom Rodgers wrote: > > Gosh! I guess this means we are all special since you > sent it to all of us. Did you write that? Sounds > like something you might write. Hope we get to see you > again sometime. TomR > > --- Nancy <lacywinston@earthlink.net> wrote: > > Subject: Things we keep. > > > > > > I grew up in the forties and fifties with > > practical parents - a > > Mother, > > God love her, who washed aluminum foil after > > she cooked in it, > > then > > reused it - a Father who was happier getting > > old shoes fixed than > > buying new ones. > > > > Their marriage was good, their dreams > > focused. Their best friends > > lived barely a wave away. > > > > I can see them now, Dad in trousers, > > undershirt shirt and a hat > > and Mom in > > a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dish > > towel in the > > other...... It > > was the time for fixing things - a curtain > > rod, the kitchen > > radio, > > screen door, the oven door, the hem in a > > dress. Things we keep. > > > > It was a way of life, and sometimes it made > > me crazy. All that > > re-fixing, re-heating, renewing, I wanted > > just once to be > > wasteful. > > > > Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away > > meant there'd always > > be more. > > > > But then my Mother died, and on that clear > > fall night, in the > > warmth of the hospital room, I was struck > > with the pain of > > learning > > that sometimes there isn't any 'more'. > > > > Sometimes, what we care about most gets all > > used up and goes > > away.....never to return. > > > > So ........ while we have it > > ........................it's best we > > love it........................and care for > > it ......and fix it > > when it's > > broken .......and heal it when it's sick. > > > > This is true ................. for > > marriage................and > > old cars > > ............and children with bad report > > cards > > ..................and > > dogs with bad hips .......................... > > aging > > parents..........................and > > grandparents. > > > > We keep them because they are worth it, > > because we are worth it. > > > > Some things we keep. Like a best friend that > > moved away - or - a > > classmate we grew up with. There are just > > some things that make > > life > > important.................people we know who > > are > > special................ and so, we keep them > > close! > > > > I just sent this to someone who is special to > > me! > >

Got a few other things planned but we could sure make it one of the stops. Hoping to go through Tn. and visit BELLAHs on the way. I like to do things on the spur cause drives Fran crazy. Who knows, I might find more cuzins like Doris Johnson. You name the date and we will sure try. Anybody else? I had a good time even if Lanita didn't. Ha. Tom --- Nancy <lacywinston@earthlink.net> wrote: > Tom, > > Yep, it does mean that you are all special to me, > even when I act like > y'all are on my last nerve. Nope, I only wish I > could've written > something this interesting. And, ain't you about > the sweetest guy in > the world to think I could have. I hope we get to > see each other again > soon, too. Maybe we should all get together and > have a big humongous > Oregon County family reunion. If my old memory > serves me correctly, > everybody was pretty much on their Sunday behavior > last time we visited > Oregon County. Enough of that. I say we hit again > and hit hard. Show > the folks down 'yon how their descendants REALLY > turned out. > > HA! > > > > Tom Rodgers wrote: > > > > Gosh! I guess this means we are all special since > you > > sent it to all of us. Did you write that? Sounds > > like something you might write. Hope we get to see > you > > again sometime. TomR > > > > --- Nancy <lacywinston@earthlink.net> wrote: > > > Subject: Things we keep. > > > > > > > > > I grew up in the forties and fifties with > > > practical parents - a > > > Mother, > > > God love her, who washed aluminum foil > after > > > she cooked in it, > > > then > > > reused it - a Father who was happier > getting > > > old shoes fixed than > > > buying new ones. > > > > > > Their marriage was good, their dreams > > > focused. Their best friends > > > lived barely a wave away. > > > > > > I can see them now, Dad in trousers, > > > undershirt shirt and a hat > > > and Mom in > > > a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, > dish > > > towel in the > > > other...... It > > > was the time for fixing things - a > curtain > > > rod, the kitchen > > > radio, > > > screen door, the oven door, the hem in a > > > dress. Things we keep. > > > > > > It was a way of life, and sometimes it > made > > > me crazy. All that > > > re-fixing, re-heating, renewing, I wanted > > > just once to be > > > wasteful. > > > > > > Waste meant affluence. Throwing things > away > > > meant there'd always > > > be more. > > > > > > But then my Mother died, and on that > clear > > > fall night, in the > > > warmth of the hospital room, I was struck > > > with the pain of > > > learning > > > that sometimes there isn't any 'more'. > > > > > > Sometimes, what we care about most gets > all > > > used up and goes > > > away.....never to return. > > > > > > So ........ while we have it > > > ........................it's best we > > > love it........................and care > for > > > it ......and fix it > > > when it's > > > broken .......and heal it when it's sick. > > > > > > This is true ................. for > > > marriage................and > > > old cars > > > ............and children with bad report > > > cards > > > ..................and > > > dogs with bad hips > .......................... > > > aging > > > parents..........................and > > > grandparents. > > > > > > We keep them because they are worth it, > > > because we are worth it. > > > > > > Some things we keep. Like a best friend > that > > > moved away - or - a > > > classmate we grew up with. There are just > > > some things that make > > > life > > > important.................people we know > who > > > are > > > special................ and so, we keep > them > > > close! > > > > > > I just sent this to someone who is > special to > > > me! > > > >