Cousin Truths

On July 30, 2018 By Piano girl2 Comments

Twenty-four! That’s how many first cousins I have on my mom’s side of the family. With twenty-four cousins, there was always somebody ready to play. Kickball, basketball, riding bikes, king-of-the-hill on grandma’s front porch-never an excuse for boredom!

As much as we loved playing together, we were not always nice to each other. One particular story comes to mind. I was spending the night at Aunt Mary’s house. She had six girls but was always willing to add one more. Her oldest daughter, Rebecca, was born twenty days after me, and we were always close growing up. One of us could be pretty bossy-not saying which one…

We loved to play pretend. This particular day we were playing house. Rebecca and I were the moms, the younger sisters divided between us as our kids. A make-believe phone call was made, an invitation to visit offered, with only one condition. Barbara could tag along, but not Janice-she would have to stay home. In other words, we didn’t want to play with Janice. The youngest of our pretend family, we decided she was too little to play.

Well, Aunt Mary got wind of our little plan, as usual. She sat us down for a chat. “Girls, imagine if I invited your Aunt Geneva over for coffee, and told her to bring Aunt Martha, but not Aunt Linda (her youngest sister). How do you think that would make your Aunt Linda feel?” Of course, that would not be nice, and sounded completely ridiculous! We got the message.

I know it sounds simple, but sometimes simple is exactly what we need. Gentle reminders, for both children and adults, encouraging us to walk in another’s shoes. Remembering our actions are capable of greatly impacting the feelings of others.

At that moment, Aunt Mary could have simply given us a consequence or made us go play outside. After all, there were seven girls playing inside the house! Instead, she chose to be calm and thoughtful in her response, giving us a real-life situation we could easily understand-and would never forget.

Thankful for cousin memories and the wisdom of simple truths.

One-Way Streets

On July 19, 2018July 19, 2018 By Piano girlLeave a comment

Have you ever driven down a one-way street, all lanes occupied-when suddenly a car is heading directly toward you-obviously going the wrong direction? This happened to me today.

I was going the right direction. Other cars on the road were also going the right way. The wrong way driver didn’t appear to be slowing, so swift action was needed. Even though the other drivers continued moving ahead, I slowed down and began to honk my horn.

Thankfully this got their attention. The wandering driver swerved across the lanes of traffic and into a parking lot. A little shaken, but safe, I continued to my destination. Part of me wanted to make sure the confused driver was ok, but turning around was not possible.

The experience made me think-people are sometimes like the cars on the street today. We move along this path of life full speed ahead, confident in our choices and direction. Surrounded by fellow travelers, we encourage each other to remain on the right road.

But what happens when we meet a confused wanderer going the wrong way?

We could do nothing, resulting in a clash. Arguments over who was right would certainly ensue. Neither party taking time to listen. We might swerve and go around, leaving them in their state of confusion. Or maybe we should slow down, stop, and meet the stranger right where they are-in the middle of the road.

Before answering the question, we must remember-at some point each of us is the wandering traveler, confused, and in need of guidance. Especially when going the wrong direction down a one-way street.

Yellow Roses

On July 16, 2018 By Piano girlLeave a comment

Yellow roses are quite captivating. Yellow is not my favorite color, but when it paints the petals of a rose, it causes me to remember sweet faces. Memories of my Grandma Mahar and my father-n-law immediately come to mind. They both loved growing roses, and yellow ones always seemed extra special.

Last week I saw yellow roses in a new way. A beautiful cascade covered my Aunt Pearl’s casket, a single yellow rose placed carefully in her hands. Their beauty, like a blanket of peace, provided comfort during a difficult time. I would imagine Pearl’s love of roses came from her mother, my grandma. And that she passed that love on to her children.

Flowers in this setting may seem insignificant to some, but I would disagree. Anytime objects bring to mind images of those we love, they have value. If we allow them to jog our memory, a cascade of yellow roses may turn into a flood of sweet faces. Faces of those who loved us. Faces we never want to forget.