Memories

Memories are odd things. Over time they fade, only to be revived by random odors, sounds or conditions. It was the annual program today presented by the children at church. Here it is mid-November with Thanksgiving soon to be upon us. All of these combined to strongly evoke a memory from 1996. It was totally unexpected...like a flashback. One of the little girls in the program expressed her feelings of joy, knowing she would someday see, and get to know the grandfather who had passed away when she was just 3 years old.

Suddenly, there I was, 14 years ago, a couple of days before Thanksgiving, standing in a conference room in the office area of the high school, waiting for the principal to go get my daughter out of class...preparing to tell her that her grandfather had unexpectedly passed away...the grandfather who had given her a special blessing just a few days before...the grandfather who allowed my children to fill his hair with barrettes and hair ribbons...a grandpa who loved them no matter what...a father-in-law who treated me like one of his own children. I think it was the first Sunday in forever that I didn't have kleenex with me. Big mistake!