Memorial Day Memories

I worked all Memorial Day week-end. We had a big sale, which I'm thankful went really well. On Monday, Memorial Day, as I was working that morning I heard something really "loud" flying over the building. As I walked out into the garden, I ran into one of my customers that has shopped at the store since her son, Zach, was a baby and was always with her mom each time she came in. I looked up at the sky again and noticed the WWII Bomber planes flying overhead. My customer told me there was a Memorial Day ceremony at Fairhaven Cementary and she reminded me that her mom was buried there. It reminded me of my ex-husbands gramma that was also buried there, along with Dee-Dee, our first real gardener at Country Roads. The bomber planes circled back around, in what I "think" is called the missing man formation, you know when one plane flies ahead, and the other three fly behind. In a way that I can't really describe in words, there was something very meaningful watching those vintage planes and sharing that with my customer and what it meant to us. It also made my heart ache for all the parents that have lost their sons and daughters in Iraq, in other wars and in the streets of our own country. I just don't understand the violence and death, I never will. I thought a lot about my parents as well. They've both been gone for almost two years now. My dad served in WWII and I still have all his Army stuff he saved, his letters, etc. That's him in the picture and he was always so proud to have served his country. Even with all that said, I still am bothered at the "why" that so many have to die fighting others? Whatever happened to giving peace a chance?

After working three busy sale days at the store, I came home to "my girls". I had gotten some new Adirondack chairs at the store and myself, Brande, Katie, and Riley sat in the front yard as Riley played on her slide and with her bubbles. It was nice, it was peaceful, and I was very grateful that I am able to enjoy my family in such simple ways. Brande taught Riley about "rollie pollies", you know those bugs that roll up into a ball when you pick them up. Riley was fascinated as she held the tiny bugs in her little hands and then gently placed them in her bucket. But the best part is that for some reason, she understood the importance of "life" regardless of how small it might be. Rather than squishing the bugs to death, she gently put them back into the flower beds. In a world filled with violence, the care that Riley took with "life", as corny as it may sound, meant so much to me, especially on Memorial Day.

Katie and her husband bought my parents house after they died a year or so ago. They have been living with me the past four months because they have been doing a huge re-model on the house. Katie had been worried about colors, since the house was almost done and it was time to choose colors for all the rooms. So, after the rollie pollies were put to bed by Riley, we all drove over to their house to meet Vinnie to discuss color. It was nice helping Katie, sharing our thoughts on color. It was also really touching to me since I was brought home to that house as a baby. The magnolia tree my mom and dad planted 50 years ago is still there, but much bigger. Riley was getting fussy, so I took her for a walk as everyone finished up the color choices. We walked down the same street I did at Riley's age. I came across a young woman walking her dog. She shared with me how sweet my dad always was and how much he loved his ragdoll cat. I guess this woman had the same type of cat and my dad always loved to talk about Annie, his favorite ragdoll cat. Here was a stranger I didn't know, reminding me how sweet my dad was and how much he loved his cat. Sounds corny, but its importance to notice those "little" things in life, thats why they happen. When I went to bed last night, I thought about Memorial Day. I felt very blessed to have my family with me, to have the things in life that I do. And as I fell asleep, my wish was for peace. It sounds trite, but there is so much violence in our world right now. Why can't we all just take some time to appreciate the little things in our world. What's wrong with appreciating and respecting "rollie pollies"?