A Generation Gone but Not Forgotten

Today is the one month anniversary of my Aunt Doris' journey to Heaven, 10/17/2010.  I have had her on my mind all day, thinking about the last couple of times that she was able to talk to us, to laugh with us, and for us to tell her how much we loved her. 

As I thought about her, I thought about her six siblings that preceded her to Heaven; her youngest brother, in 2007, another brother, and two sisters in 2008, one of which was my mother.  In 2005, she lost another sister, and the oldest passed away many years  ago at the age of 33.

There is another sister who lives in Florida who is 90 years old, and has just been diagnosed with lymphoma and leukemia. The prognosis for her is not good.  The Lord saw fit for my sister, my daughter and me  to visit her in April. She knew us then, but would not now. Everything in his own time.  

As I thought about all of them, I became teary and sad, but, then, all of a sudden, I smiled as I remembered the good times that they shared together. Once or twice a week, maybe more, they were at one or the others house for lunch or supper. All of them loved to go, go anywhere,  and when someone mentioned let's go to Durham, Danville or South Boston, the were in the car before you could finish the sentence.  My mama used to say if you are waiting on me, you're wasting time.  

I remember many times hearing the chatting, and laughing  so hard it became contagious to anyone else in the house that had no clue as to what they were laughing about. The thing that I remember most was that the laughs were hearty laughs, truly  honest-to-goodness belly laughs.   Once they were at one of my aunt's home for supper, and all of a sudden the laughter erupted in the kitchen and there was clatter of the plates, and silverware.  My uncle got up to see what was so funny, and he found all these ladies well over 50 years of age  throwing biscuits at each other.  He just shook his head and went back to his recliner.

They used to cut each others hair. My mother got my Aunt Daisy to cut her's one day, and all of a sudden,  Aunt Daisy started to snicker, then began laughing out loud. By that time, my mother knew that something wasn't right. She said, "Daisy, what have you done!!!?  Give me a mirror."  Finally, mother got a mirror and found that she almost had a high and tight haircut...well, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but a very short haircut, nonetheless.  Aunt Daisy, and finally mother, laughed until they both cried. Aunt Daisy decided that she really didn't need a haircut that day. :)  Luckily, mama had beautiful curly and wavy hair, but she still looked like she stepped right out of a Charleston Chorus Line. 

When the brothers were home with their sisters, the laughing was still there, and the chatter amongst them was sometimes unintelligible over the laughing. 

Yes, it is sad when a generation is gone, but it is a marvelous feeling to have the memories of these siblings, loving life, who truly enjoyed each others company. Sometimes, I actually hear the echos of those laughs, and I hope that they never stop. I am so thankful that God put me in this family of love. The topping on the cake was that they were all Christians, The generation may be gone, but not the memories. 

Have a great day.         LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH.