Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Thanks for the memories

     Tuesday again, time to grab a coffee and chat a bit with Rory. Here is the thought she left us with last week.

Since my recent birthday, I have been quite reflective and pensive. I have concluded that Memories are the staircase to our most treasured things. Share a great memory, and why/how it affects you now.
 
     I thought this would be a no brainer, I have a ton of great memories. Memories of family and friends, places and things, special events and achievements. How to pick one? What makes this one special? How does it affect me now? "Rosebud."
    
     Every life has it's own share of struggles, failures, missteps, tears and tragedies. Mine is no different. At the end of the day, this is what I remember the most.
 
The smiles,
 
My grandmother with my cousin Harley
My grandmother always, always had a smile for us
 
My father as a young man

My uncle Doug

My aunt Barb

My cousins Carly and Melanie

My cousin Jason

My father's parents
Grandma and Grandpa Craig

My cousin Jenny

My aunt "Leenie" and cousin Todd

My aunt Deb holding her grandchild Hanna

My cousin Chris with his wife Krista and their daughter Alicia
(pre the arrival of their son Austin)

My aunt Karen and my father

the laughter,
the throw your head back, let it all out,
big booming laughter
Grandpa Craig, Doug, Marlyn, my mom
 Impossible not to laugh along with them

My aunt Judy and my grandmother

My aunt Jean and uncle Leo
I miss my uncle's great big laugh

being together,

My mom and cousin Adam

My cousin Sherry and I

     My most treasured memory, family. The whole, great big mess of it that's mine. The noisy, nosy, laughing, loving, always there for you bunch. Whether it's a pat on the back, a shoulder to cry on or a kick in the pants, they're there to oblige.

     At the end of it all, if the smiles, the laughter out weigh the tears and teen angst, it's been a pretty good ride. Don't you think?

 

13 comments:

  1. Great post! Stopping buy from Rory's page. Have a wonderful week!

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    1. Thanks Kisma. I'll give it my best shot.

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  2. Replies
    1. Smiles and laughter are the best memories. They're not crow's feet, they're laugh lines.

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  3. I had the same problem...so many wonderful memories; how to pick just one? I decided it was enough to just remain forever grateful that they have shaped me more than anything that was less than ideal. Hopefully that is what stands out today.

    we are so incredibly blessed!
    thanks for chatting!

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  4. Great post! I also have too many wonderful memories that it was hard to pin point only a few, and I'm sure more will come to me as the day goes on!

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    1. Thanks Jennifer. I had started listing things and then had to redo the whole post. I could have written a novel. LOL

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  5. what a fantastical post!

    dw describes some of my ramblings as "stories", because you see, i like to tell little stories at the most random times, inappropriate or otherwise. a good number of these "stories" are of wrongs that i have endured in my life, like the time my cousin buu jumped from a park bench & hurt herself but then i got blamed for it because i was the oldest kid & i should've told her to not jump. i was 5. later i pulled her aside and told her that next time she decided to cry over a 1.5ft HOP i'll push her myself and that'll give her a real reason to flipping cry ... or the time when we were teenagers & we made up a dance routine to the song Straight Up by Paula Abdul (represent!) where i would flip her over my back, i mistook her 4"11 frame for a lightweight and instead, her ass landed on my head and i ended up with a blood gushing forehead + stitches (i also got in trouble, because again, i'm oldest, i shouldv'e known better). FF some 10 odd years and we're entirely three sheets to the wind one beautiful summer night and she decides she wants a piggyback ride. again, i mistook her 4"11 frame for a lightweight and carried her somehow extremely heavy ass on my back, in stilettos to the car. we fell & this time i skinned my knees and hands. MORAL OF THE STORY: i don't learn my lessons. EVER.

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    1. ROFLMFAO, we really are kindred spirits. You have pretty much described my escapades with my cousin Sherry. We never learn either.

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  6. "The whole, great big mess of it that's mine. The noisy, nosy, laughing, loving, always there for you bunch. Whether it's a pat on the back, a shoulder to cry on or a kick in the pants, they're there to oblige."

    I love that. Love it. It sounds like the beginning or end of a great play.

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    1. Thanks Bridget. All that reading I do has to pay off some time right?

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  7. You have one big happy family, Paul! It’s really amazing how a family like yours can stay close to each other. It is really heartwarming. Anyway, I think it’s your grandma’s smile is what binds you all. I can tell by her smile that she’s one good matriarch. ^_^

    Taneka Carl

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Thanks for your comment, I hope you enjoyed your time in the "Kitchen".