Memories

Memory

Often times I reminisce about different times in my life.  The friends I’ve made, the birthdays I’ve celebrated, the weddings ... you know those times.  Most often a song takes me back to that particular time.  As Kenny Chesney sings, “When I hear that song, I go back”.  

But are there other moments that take you back?  Are there memories etched in your mind that when you see something from them you go back?  I think about my childhood often.  I was very blessed and had a happy and safe childhood.  There are many memories that I fondly recall.  Some more than others.  Some show up when least expected.

Like when I first went to visit my husband’s Grandparents (Nanny & Papa) at their Lexington home.  They have beautiful pecan trees in their front and back yards.  I believe it was winter when I first visited so I didn’t think too much about the trees.  I know what a tree is, but aside from the obvious variations, I can’t tell you a pecan tree from an elm tree, especially in the dead of winter.  However, as the seasons changed and I visited more often, the first signs of Spring were the big pecan trees blooming with large green leaves.  

Suddenly, I was standing in the middle of two rows of towering pecan trees and I was around seven years old.  There were picnic tables with red plaid tablecloths.  Signs of Summer were all around.  It was hot and HUMID!  Balloons were tied to chairs.  There was a big box wrapped with a bow on top and a large cake that read, “Happy Birthday Grandaddy & Karen”.  I didn’t share the same birthday as my Grandfather but we were real close.  He was born on July 3 and I was born on July 4.  I always loved our shared birthday cakes.  

This particular birthday celebration was held at their property which adjoined my Great-Grandmother’s property.  The pecan orchid, if you will, was the buffer between the two properties.  Technically, I believe the property belonged to my Great-Grandmother, Granny Veno, as I called her.  However, as you know, with family property there is often no lines so to me as a child, the row of strong pecan trees was my imaginary line to cross over to Granny Veno’s place.  

For a small child, the trees were massive and fun to climb.  I can remember sitting on a branch and thinking what a great life I had.  I remember thinking that one day, I would bring my kids there ... wait ... who are we kidding ... I didn’t want kids till I literally had Ashton!  Anyways ... the pecans were the best.  We would gather them up and spend  hours cracking and shelling them for Granny Dorothy to put away.  Some days, I think we ate as many as we put away.  Nothing is better than a fresh pecan ... especially when you work so hard to get to it.

Isn’t that how we often think of birthdays?  As a child, we anxiously await each new year so that we can be one year older and one year closer to an adult.  One year closer to confirming that we really do know everything.  We mark each day off the calendar impatiently waiting till the big day!  Then, as an adult, we try really hard to ignore the fact that 25 is coming or that we’ve turned 30 and moved to a new check box on surveys.  Or for me last year, I turned 36 and moved into a different age category for races that I run.  Does that mean I might have a better chance of placing??  And, now 40 is looming closer than ever. 

So as I sit here in the dead of winter, 40 seems scary and unwelcome.  But I know that when Spring arrives and the pecan trees at Papa’s start to bloom, I will be reminded of the many wonderful times in my life.  Those moments that flash back during the middle of the day or that I tell my daughter about when she asks for a bed time story.  And, the one particular birthday when there was a big box with a bow on it when I was seven in the middle of two looming rows of pecan trees.  My sheer excitement and joy when I opened the box to find I was now the proud Mom of Faye Diana, my first Cabbage Patch doll.  

Oh she was a beauty.  Brown, curly hair with freckles.  She had a beautiful pink dress with pink bloomers.  My Grandmother Alice made the dress.  She was down with my Papa from Georgia for my birthday.  The doll was so special.  You see, my Grandmother Alice lived in Cleveland, GA which is home to Cabbage Patch General Hospital (where all the Cabbage Patch dolls are born).  She worked with Xavier Roberts  (creator of Cabbage Patch dolls) to make doll clothes for the showroom.  My Cabbage Patch doll is not stamped but has Xavier Roberts actual signature on it.  It was a dream come true for me at seven!  

I remember dancing through the pecan trees with Faye Diana so excited to show her my world.  We climbed trees and talked to the Moon.  We played games and she protected me at night while I slept.  I still have Faye Diana.  Ashton found her a few years ago.  She’s not allowed to play with her now but one day, she will have her.  And, with Faye Diana, comes the memory, the moment, of that glorious summer day in the middle of the pecan orchid where my dreams came true.

I love songs, love the memories they invoke.  But I think we often get so busy that we forget to take a few minutes to look around.  I urge you to do so next time you are out and about.  You never know what great moment will pop into your head and brighten your day.