A couple of weeks ago, I got a card from my dad and step-mom. I immediately started clicking through dates in my head. Birthday's not until December...they usually don't send me anything for Mother's Day. Anniversary is in July and not something usually commemorated on their end. Hmmmm? Inside the card was a note, "Here's a little gift from Aunt Lillie Mae. She wanted you to have this." There was also a check...a check for $$$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, the discussion of money is rather tacky, so specifics aren't really necessary, but I will tell you that the amount of that check left me speechless. I know...difficult to believe, but it did. So, before we go any further into this, I think you need a little background information about Aunt Lillie Mae. The background ALWAYS makes it more interesting.
My dear step-mother had two precious aunts, Lene and Lillie Mae...the sisters of her mother, Mary. Mary was my DSM's mama. The three of them were the quintessential trio of Southern sisters...steel magnolias. All of them had that magical "old South" Southern drawl that was very aristocratic to the ears, but very much belied their country upbringing. All of them steeped in the old ways of doing things. All of them having weathered life's storms, with the understanding that it was a waste of time to complain. Aunt Lene and Aunt LM lived next door to each other in a small south Georgia town. MawMaw Mary lived with Daddy and DSM in a house that always had room for one or two more guests. They would visit back and forth and when Aunt Lene and Aunt LM could no longer drive the two hours to see their beloved Mary, arrangements were made for them to be driven to Mary...or Mary brought to them. It was on these visits that our paths would cross. We loved knowing that "the ladies" would be visiting while we were visiting. They watched our rambunctious boyos tear through the house with great delight and amusement that only comes when a person is in the golden years of life. Wise enough to know that they won't be rambunctious boyos for very long and when they are grown and buttoned down, the rambunctiousness will be missed.
MawMaw Mary was the first of the three to go and when she did, the other two were about as lost as a couple of balls in high grass. Not too long after that, Aunt Lene's time came. I cannot imagine the weight that Aunt LM must have felt on her small shoulders...to be the only one left. Not just the only sister left, but the only one of the eight children her parents birthed! Whatever weight she felt, she carried it with great grace and spunk. The visits with Daddy and DSM continued. Never having any children of her own, DSM and her cousins were always more than happy to take Aunt LM wherever she wanted to go. She'd stay a couple of weeks here and a couple of weeks there. She got smaller and smaller every time we saw her. She was never one of great physical stature...none of the sisters were taller than 5'3" and they might have weighed 120 lbs...soaking wet, with pockets full of rocks. She might have been shrinking, physically, but she never did on the mental level. What a wit! She and my DSS (dear step sister) were sitting on the front porch, as Aunt LM smoked a cigarette. She was ninety-forever years old and well beyond the point of any of us telling her what was good for her. She smoked...but NEVER in Daddy and DSM's home. DSS was sitting with her and Aunt LM asked her to come close because she wanted to tell her something very important. DSS said she just knew this was going to be big...Aunt LM was fixin' to pass on the keys to the kingdom! Aunt LM leaned in toward DSS, called her by name and made the following announcement:
OK, so that's the backstory.
After regaining my powers of speech, I got on the horn with Daddy to find out more about this "little gift" from Aunt Lillie Mae. It tickled him to hear my reaction. Aunt LM left instructions that $$$ be given to me from her estate. She appreciated the love and kindness that I showed her when our paths would cross and she thought I was pretty funny, too. I was stunned...just stunned. Of course, running through my head and right out of my mouth was, "Hmmm! I'm going to have to be nicer to the little old ladies around me!" (Not listed in the scriptures, but I do believe humor at inappropriate times is a gift of The Spirit...and I've got it in spades!) Daddy also informed me that Aunt LM wanted me to do something fun with it. I cashed the check and put the money in a hidey-hole and pondered. What to do with $$$? What would be the thing to buy to honor her memory?
There's a pawn shop near our house. I see it as I trek back and forth on Hwy. 280. I've never stopped in there to browse. To be frank, pawn shops sort of give me pause. Can't explain why...they just do. They hung a banner on the front of the store that said, "Vintage Jewelry" and that's what drew me in. For about 70% of what Aunt LM gave to me, I bought this ring. It's 14k gold, with white gold filigree and a beautiful, pale colored aquamarine. It reminds me of something from what would have been Aunt Lillie Mae's childhood years...it has the feel of the 1930's to it. I sent a picture of it to Daddy and DSM and they were thrilled with the choice. Better yet, they said Aunt LM would have been so pleased.
I feel rather opulent with my right hand ring. I wore it with my sweats and ratty t-shirt as I did chores around the house, yesterday, and still felt so fancy. It got me thinking...oh, come on...you knew there'd be some meat under the fluff....that's what our kindness should do for others. We should lavish it on those around us so that even in their lowest moments, they feel lovely and lovable. Kindness shared is one of the most valuable gifts that can be given and it's meant to be given. It's not worth a flip until you give it away.
(And not because you think some little old lady will leave you a bank roll, either!)
My dear step-mother had two precious aunts, Lene and Lillie Mae...the sisters of her mother, Mary. Mary was my DSM's mama. The three of them were the quintessential trio of Southern sisters...steel magnolias. All of them had that magical "old South" Southern drawl that was very aristocratic to the ears, but very much belied their country upbringing. All of them steeped in the old ways of doing things. All of them having weathered life's storms, with the understanding that it was a waste of time to complain. Aunt Lene and Aunt LM lived next door to each other in a small south Georgia town. MawMaw Mary lived with Daddy and DSM in a house that always had room for one or two more guests. They would visit back and forth and when Aunt Lene and Aunt LM could no longer drive the two hours to see their beloved Mary, arrangements were made for them to be driven to Mary...or Mary brought to them. It was on these visits that our paths would cross. We loved knowing that "the ladies" would be visiting while we were visiting. They watched our rambunctious boyos tear through the house with great delight and amusement that only comes when a person is in the golden years of life. Wise enough to know that they won't be rambunctious boyos for very long and when they are grown and buttoned down, the rambunctiousness will be missed.
MawMaw Mary was the first of the three to go and when she did, the other two were about as lost as a couple of balls in high grass. Not too long after that, Aunt Lene's time came. I cannot imagine the weight that Aunt LM must have felt on her small shoulders...to be the only one left. Not just the only sister left, but the only one of the eight children her parents birthed! Whatever weight she felt, she carried it with great grace and spunk. The visits with Daddy and DSM continued. Never having any children of her own, DSM and her cousins were always more than happy to take Aunt LM wherever she wanted to go. She'd stay a couple of weeks here and a couple of weeks there. She got smaller and smaller every time we saw her. She was never one of great physical stature...none of the sisters were taller than 5'3" and they might have weighed 120 lbs...soaking wet, with pockets full of rocks. She might have been shrinking, physically, but she never did on the mental level. What a wit! She and my DSS (dear step sister) were sitting on the front porch, as Aunt LM smoked a cigarette. She was ninety-forever years old and well beyond the point of any of us telling her what was good for her. She smoked...but NEVER in Daddy and DSM's home. DSS was sitting with her and Aunt LM asked her to come close because she wanted to tell her something very important. DSS said she just knew this was going to be big...Aunt LM was fixin' to pass on the keys to the kingdom! Aunt LM leaned in toward DSS, called her by name and made the following announcement:
"You know, I don't ever believe I'll quit smoking. No, darlin', I believe I'm just too old to try that."Needless to say, this was NOT the information that DSS was expecting, but it provided great humor in the retelling! She died in March and I know that it was a HAPPY reunion at Heaven's gate! We Southerners are suckers for a good family reunion!
OK, so that's the backstory.
After regaining my powers of speech, I got on the horn with Daddy to find out more about this "little gift" from Aunt Lillie Mae. It tickled him to hear my reaction. Aunt LM left instructions that $$$ be given to me from her estate. She appreciated the love and kindness that I showed her when our paths would cross and she thought I was pretty funny, too. I was stunned...just stunned. Of course, running through my head and right out of my mouth was, "Hmmm! I'm going to have to be nicer to the little old ladies around me!" (Not listed in the scriptures, but I do believe humor at inappropriate times is a gift of The Spirit...and I've got it in spades!) Daddy also informed me that Aunt LM wanted me to do something fun with it. I cashed the check and put the money in a hidey-hole and pondered. What to do with $$$? What would be the thing to buy to honor her memory?
There's a pawn shop near our house. I see it as I trek back and forth on Hwy. 280. I've never stopped in there to browse. To be frank, pawn shops sort of give me pause. Can't explain why...they just do. They hung a banner on the front of the store that said, "Vintage Jewelry" and that's what drew me in. For about 70% of what Aunt LM gave to me, I bought this ring. It's 14k gold, with white gold filigree and a beautiful, pale colored aquamarine. It reminds me of something from what would have been Aunt Lillie Mae's childhood years...it has the feel of the 1930's to it. I sent a picture of it to Daddy and DSM and they were thrilled with the choice. Better yet, they said Aunt LM would have been so pleased.
I feel rather opulent with my right hand ring. I wore it with my sweats and ratty t-shirt as I did chores around the house, yesterday, and still felt so fancy. It got me thinking...oh, come on...you knew there'd be some meat under the fluff....that's what our kindness should do for others. We should lavish it on those around us so that even in their lowest moments, they feel lovely and lovable. Kindness shared is one of the most valuable gifts that can be given and it's meant to be given. It's not worth a flip until you give it away.
(And not because you think some little old lady will leave you a bank roll, either!)
Just read Aunt Lillie Mae's Ring and can't wait to go back and read more! I'm hooked on The YankeeBelle Chronicles! May many more entries flow from your gifted writer's mind! Much Love from Sweet Onion Country!
ReplyDelete