The Gift
The Gift|
It
was Christmas 1999, The last of the century.
I was not expecting such a special gift; The gift of the family matriarch's story. we had gathered as we always do; To share the holiday together; A time of laughter, love and tears; A day of beautiful weather. The story began at the house where she was born; On October 20, Ninteen Hundred and Eleven She was born to Ruel and Myrtle Taft; One daughter of another seven. She shared with us her story of life; The laughter and the tears; She told of hardships and of love; Of hard work and her fears. They had no indoor bathrooms; An outhouse they did use: They slept at night on beds of straw; Pillows of feathers from the chicken broods. She spoke of winter horse drawn trips; In open sleighs they would go; To town when needed, not for fun; A heated rock to warm their toes. You could sense the love she'd speak with; When talking of her father; We sounded like a wonderful man; Who took care of them and her mother. The time came when she spoke of when; She met my grandpa, Paul; It was a house dance long ago; And in love they both did fall. The most Handsome Man in the world; Were the words she used to describe; The man that she ended up wedding; Her love for him she couldn't hide. |
The story continued with the beginning of their life; Together they did share; The family that they started to raise; The home that was built with care. And then in 1942; The story turned very sad; Their son Harold left their lives; Pneumonia took the lad. I never realized how hard it was She'd never shared before; I felt a new respect for them: I loved them even more. The pain eventually subsided, It never went away; Their life continued through the years; Another daughter came one day. She joined the others June and Jack; The baby of the group; I think she held a special place; She helped to close the open loop. The children grew and left the home; Their parents were so proud. They blessed them with nine grandchildren; And more love was endowed. The day came that's inevitable My Grandpa lost his life; The family was together with him; His children and his wife. And though the pain continues still; She tends to muttle through it. Life hasn't been as much fun for her; I admire that she's never quit. So Grandma thank you once again; For sharing your life with me; And although you thought that was your gift: Your gift was you to me... |