In Loving Memory

I remember it as if it had happened yesterday.  A year ago today, we were at my mother-in-law's house having dinner with her and her friends.  I heard my phone ring but thought it would be rude to answer, so I let it go.  I knew it was my mom calling and figured I could call her back when we were on our way home.  A few minutes later, my phone rang again.  "Really mom?"  I thought, again not rushing to pick up the call.

Dessert was served, brownies topped with whipped cream and berries.  Yum!  As my taste buds enjoyed the sweet fruit, I could once again hear my mom's ring tone start to play in my purse for a third time.  The sinking feeling hit me.  Something wasn't right.  As tactfully as possible, I excused myself from the table, stepped outside and called my mom back.

Feeling like I'd just been hit with a ton of bricks, I somehow knew what she was going to say before she even said it.  Gram was gone.  My friend, my confidant, my cheerleader, my teacher, my Grandma.  Gone in the blink of an eye.

Choking back the sobs and holding in the tears I returned to the table, the sweet berries now tasteless.  Life would never be quite the same again.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Gram.  I can't tell you how many times on my lunch break I've thought "I'll just give Grandma a quick call" only to realize that she's not there to answer.

No longer will my day be brightened by her smiling face or my heart be lightened by her delightful whistling - Gram was the best whistler.  I will never see her old, wrinkled yet skillful fingers dance across the piano keys as I watch memorized.  The list of no longers could go on forever.

Today marks one year that we've been without our dearly loved Gram.  But she lives on in our hearts.  Each member of her family has a piece of her, a characteristic of her, or a love for something that she loved.  As long as we hold tight to the pieces of her that she left with each of us, she'll never really be completely gone.  She will always be missed but never be forgotten.

Gram on the left with her two sisters

In loving memory of Marcia Jane Powell Eddins

Promote What You Love

Social media is an interesting thing to me.  We're able to hide behind our computer screens and say things to our friends and family that we would never say to them in person.  We criticize, challenge and demand that they agree with our views or they mind as well "unfriend" us.

It's been interesting to watch as people eagerly attach each other over the internet waves.  Some know each other while others are complete strangers.  Everyone else is wrong and you're always right.  Do you comment and defend your views and beliefs?  Or do you just let it go and not start a cyber fight?

As I've watched the walls of my social media outlets explode with negative, rude, critical and downright mean posts and comments, I was thankful for one of my friends who posted the following quote:

"Promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate."

Can you imagine how much better things would be if we all spent a little more time respectfully promoting what we love and less time negatively reacting to the things we don't love?  In honor of my new mantra, I'd like to share and promote a few of the things that I love most.

Family

I love family.  Not only do I love my family but I love the whole concept of family.

Piano Music

I love piano music.  It soothes my soul.  While I'm not all that great at playing the piano, I have hopes that one day I will be able to play the pieces that are so enchanting to me.

Thoughtful Places

For me, there's nothing better than being able to sit in one of my thoughtful places and mull things over.  Like piano music, it's good for the soul.

Flowers

I say flowers but really any plant is amazing to me.  It's miraculous what can grow from a tiny seed.  I especially love flowers because of their bright colors and delicate designs.  They are by far one of my favorite things to photograph.

The Great Outdoors

When I am outside, I often find the words to the hymn "How Great Thou Art" rolling through my mind.  I love the great outdoors and for me it leaves no doubt in my mind that there is a creator of all things.

Books

I love books.  When life gets me down, I love escaping into someone else's story for awhile.  Language is such a powerful tool and I love reading the words of those that are more skilled at elegant writing than I am.

Photography

I love photography.  Being able to capture the beauty of all the things I love is amazing.  A picture can be more powerful than words and more beautiful than one can describe.  Photography allows us to capture those priceless, joyful, beautiful moments that often are fleeting and only last a few precious seconds.

Strengths

"Hang on the walls of your mind the memory of your successes.  Take counsel of your strength, not you weaknesses.  Think of the good jobs you have done.  Think of the times when you rose above your average level of performance and carried out an idea or a dream or a desire for which you had deeply longed.  Hang these pictures on the walls of your mind and look at them as you travel the roadway of life."

~James McNeill Whistler~