By If you have been following this blog for a while you are aware that my paternal grandfather, who the world called Kirk, and my maternal grandmother, my granny, were two of the most important influences in my life. They still are. Both are my angels now, and I always want to make them proud of who I am as a person and what I am doing with my life. I like to think they are both proud. However, sometimes I wonder how to keep their memories alive. I want to do that both for myself and my younger cousins on mom’s side who did not get to know granny.
The memories then I have of them both help me keep them alive and with me always. As my life has gotten more complicated over the last year plus, I think about them more and more. Usually, I am not one for going backwards but for Kirk and granny I would make an exception in a heartbeat. What do I want to go back to? I want to go back to the living room where Kirk taught me: how to carry his name properly; to get through life thriving; and to kick a condition right where it should be: nowhere that matters.
I want to go back to a farm in South Georgia, to a yellow kitchen table, where music was an expression of love and how to deal with life when it gets difficult. That kitchen table is where when nothing made sense, it made sense because Granny made it make sense for me, usually over her cooking or our favorite junk food: cheese puffs. I just want to be me. Stace that has no to-do list, and no responsibility, for just a little while.
Being able to remember all of the times that I spent with them both and every little detail of those times, including their advice and lessons, I know that while it’s not possible for me to physically go back I can revisit my life within both any time I want and I just want to remind you all you can do the same with those you loved and lost so they are never really gone. Knowing that is a comfort and a gift.