Crumbs
Every day is a good day if you have it,
Sounds like something that Grandma Geanne would say.
At nearly the age of 92
She drops these pieces of wisdom
In soft, casual conversation-
Quickly, easy to miss
If you’re not paying attention.
Over buttered graham crackers and milky tea she comments,
In almost a whisper:
“Find a crumb of joy
Every day.
No matter how small.
My dear Trina, when life seems dismal,
It will keep you going.”
She steals a glimpse of Grandpa Art’s
Faded memorial bulletin, still carefully tacked to the
Square cork board near the telephone.
Her slender, frail hand brushes mine.
And her phrase lingers
As towheaded, chunky hands dunk cookies in fragile porcelain doll cups
Filled with Land o'Lakes milk
From a tiny white wooden table and two painted chairs-
Crafted in 1949 by Great Grandpa Olin for Mom.
(The very same table and chairs I used as a small child.)
Toddler cousins exchange giggles,
With milky mustaches and sticky, chocolate smudged hands.
Grandma clasps her hands to her mouth,
Folded almost as a prayer,
In adoration of her great granddaughters.
Those crumbs-
The bits I neglect often.
Daily.
Find that joy, Trina.
After all, so many things depend on perspective.
What a sweet poem, and what good advice from your grandma. My mom is 90 and suffers from dementia, so there is no more advice coming my way from her, but my siblings and I always find one of her sayings coming out of our mouths.
ReplyDeleteYour words paint such a clear picture of your grandmother. I especially love her words and the way the end of this poem echos them in your mind. Having a positive outlook is not a genetic trait in my family, so it's something I work on daily.
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