It is strange how our minds bring snapshots of memories to our consciousness.
I can be driving, or walking, and all of a sudden there is a vision of my brother and me playing tag in Grandpa Jim's cornfield. Laughing, running, and occasionally a little foot would whack into those corn plant roots and cause abrupt, searing pain between our toes! It is all there, the joy, the fun, the pain, and the beauty of being a little girl, playing in the country garden.
This phenomenon of intrusive memories is common to all human beings, and occurs throughout our lives.
The other day, a memory of Aunt Gene came to me while I was vacuuming. Aunt Gene was a country woman, and a farmer's wife. In addition to farming, her husband, my Uncle Chuck, also worked as a welder at the Burton Shipyards, in Orange, Texas. Aunt Gene not only took care of the children and the house, she also helped Uncle Chuck tend to the farm animals and the huge garden they planted every spring. And somewhere in there, she did a lot of volunteer work at the Old First Orange Baptist Church.
When you are young, you don t really pay attention to relationships, especially those with your extended family, and I never really felt great warmth from Aunt Gene. Of course I knew that when I stayed with my aunt and uncle, she would take care of me and show me all kinds of "country things!" I knew she was good, very good; because there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for family, friends, or a person in need. I knew she went to church every Sunday, and taught Sunday school every week.
After I became an adult, I made a real effort to take my mother to see Aunt Gene as often as I could. It was always great to be in the company of these two wonderful women, and I can't even tell you why I felt like that, but I did.
The memory that came to me so powerfully was of a visit that occurred in my early forties, so Aunt Gene was in her mid-seventies then. She and Uncle Chuck came to Nederland to visit my mother. It must have been a weekend, because I was at home visiting. Aunt Gene said, "I brought you a gift Lillie."
Now I don't remember Aunt Gene ever giving me a gift, except maybe when we were toddlers having Christmas at Grandma's house. So, I was surprised.
She reached into that great, big, old black handbag she always carried with her, except I imagine over the years she replaced it many times, and pulled out a small mirror. The kind a woman would carry around with her in her purse.
"I thought of you when I saw this, and I had to get it."
She handed me the mirror and on it was written, "I love you, not only for who you are, but for who I am when I am with you."
...for who I am when I am with you.
We can never know how our lives touch others. My life was as different from Aunt Gene's life as night and day. I loved her, because she was my Aunt, and it was interesting to be around her. But I never knew what I meant to her.
Never knew, until then.
Always keep in mind, that as we live our own lives, we are touching others' lives and making memories. Making memories for ourselves and for others. Memories that can intrude on a perfectly good chore of vacuuming, or cleaning, or sorting out your closet--beautiful, wonderful memories!
I hope you're having a great summer, and creating many wonderful memories for yourself and those around you.
I'll see you in church when I get back from my trip.
Pastor Lillie
Posted by Mark McNabb at August 2, 2007 10:41 AM