I remember a place...a place of tranquility...
A place of growth and simple questions being answered...
There are...There is a lush green grass in a giant yard. The grass is well kept, but it doesn't quite keep the dandelions from growing.
To the north - well I never really considered the direction until now - to the BACK of the yard...were the beautiful "WOODS".
The "Woods" was/were a seemingly enchanted forest complete with a large stream called a creek and a perfectly laid path from old train tracks that were no longer there.
The giant old oak tree in the back yard had a tire swing, and oh, the tire swing....it was such a source of many childhood memories. I can simply just look back to the tire swing and get a little caught up in the moment...
I see the old oak tree and the tire swing. It's there, beautiful, and part of a time and place before of sue-happy parents.
If you went about 100 yards into the "Woods", you would see a pole with a concrete base. This, in our ever inquiring and developed minds, had to be the work of UFO's. In retrospect, it was simply a metal pole that was anchored down with concrete, pulled out of the ground. However, our overactive creativity had full reign.
I remember Paul Harvey. I remember the hamburger, carrots, and various other vegetables wrapped in aluminum foil and being blown away by the ending "feast".I remember....so much...I can see it, in my 6 year old eyes.
The garage doubled as a furniture upholstery business - a fledgling one at that. Childhood is not privy to such details - and even if it was, forts and exploring were more important.
I ran through the yard. I explored the Woods. I lived this. I can see everything in my mind right now. It hurts...in some ways because I feel like it's a chapter with an end, and I hate finality.
I picked Dandelions for my Grandma thinking they were beautiful flowers. She never let me know they were weeds. I brought them inside and she was always so impressed and had a vase ready for me. I could've been a grown man and she would've never told me that this was an inappropriate gift.
The doctor looked at my Grandma's charts and told us that she has a an irregularly large heart.
We know. And we love her for it.
