Good morning, yest it is still morning, not by much in eastern time, but I am in central time and morning is any time before 12:00pm, which it still is even by eastern time standards. I found myself thinking a lot about this blog yesterday. How does one write without it being too obvious they have thought about it. Isn't the whole purpose of this to be casual and express one's raw, unedited thoughts? Hard to do when you have a million thoughts and/or memories circling in your brain. A lot of memories of my childhood started running through. Truth is, my childhood memories are very random, not too detailed and dates are not at all a part of my memory. As I write this, it is weird a a few strong memories immediately jump to the forefront and demand attention, so I will give it. My Grandparents, all very instrumental in my life in very different ways. Three of them died by the time I had reached the age of 20.
Mom Lawson was the first to go, she died about 1965. I was young but I do remember her, she was a treasure, I remember a very sweet caring grandmother, a little laid back a calm to the engaging circus Dad Lawson could be. We called them Mom & Dad Lawson, not grandpa or grandma, and very definitely not by their first name. I made that mistake one time in front of all the family and I do remember everyone laughing that I had called her Golda, but I thought it was such a pretty name. All but one of her siblings had pretty names. I made sure from that day on she was Mom Lawson, no matter how pretty Golda sounded to my ears.
Dad Lawson, my grandpa Lawson died about 1972 (I remember that because my cousin Aleta was still in school, and she is 3 years older than me. Dad Lawson's personality is a book, a very entertaining book that can't share stage with any other stories. He was a timeless treasure as far as grandpa's go.
Next I recall my grandpa Chandler, he died in Nov. 1977. I remember that because I had hurt myself on my job. I worked at Tobin Hamilton shoe factory in Mansfield Missouri. I went from boxing cut leather to send up the line, to a cutter which could be one of the better factory jobs. Factory work is piece work, meaning every part of the shoe is assigned a price, and you were paid by what you produced based on that price and the quantity you put out in an hour. In 1977 I was making $10.00 an hour, I know, Jan 2011 that is a poverty wage, however, that was a good wage in the day. That career ended when I severely cut my thumb. Now getting back to my grandpa Chandler. I was hurt in Nov. I had stitches & a guard over my hand and heavy duty pain pills. My cousin Kaye & I had tickets to see the Beach Boys in concert in Springfield. We went up a the day before the concert, and spent the night with a friend. Late that night we received a call that my grandfather had died. My mom told me to stay, enjoy the concert then come home, there was nothing I could do that day. So I did just that.
Grandpa Chandler was an awesome man, he was probably the calmest man I will ever have known in my life. I never saw him mad, even upset that I can recall. He was a very handsome man, with a soft voice, beautiful blue eyes that shone and a comforting smile. He was an animal person, he raised & sold rabbit hunting dogs (beagles). People came from far corners of the US to buy a dog from my grandpa. He loved to hunt & spend time with his dogs, he never had a desire to travel, and could always be found at home or hunting. Grandpa also loved a good game of checkers or dominoes. He was a very smart man and extremely talented when it came to strategy games such as checkers and dominoes. Grandpa was color blind so right before the final crushing move on a game of checkers he would often have to ask if "that" (crushing blow)checker was red or black, and unless you lied, you just assisted in your own defeat. Ah and you know the games that now sit on every table at Cracker Barrel..the golf tees in a triangle board, you have to jump down to just one tee; well grandpa Chandler did that every time for as long as I can remember ever seeing that game. I am lucky enough to have a small work desk that he made for me when I was 5, it is a priceless treasure.
My grandma Chandler died most recently (2004), like Dad Lawson, a story of her can't share stage, she was one of a kind, an artists and an awesome grandmother. The traits I have received from her I affectionately call the Cleo gene.
I was so blessed with wonderful grandparents. I am so proud, lucky & honored to have been born into their families. Next to God our families are our greatest treasure.
I guess my conversation has taken this turn due to events of the last few days. I have a cousin dealing with the death of her spouse & and 2 high school mates dealing with the death of a sibling & husband. Both are untimely, early deaths. My heart goes out to the families of both men. My prayer is that they continue to seek God for the peace & comfort that only he can give, and to always know that we have these wonderful memories to make us smile & feel the joy in what they gave during their time with us.
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. (niv)
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