Golden Hands, Golden People And Golden Memories

Again, I was cleaning out drawers filled with junk we all keep for posterity. I found another card from my friend Virginia who left us in November 2011. In it she wrote eloquently and said about an envelope I had sent her, as I did every two months. In it, I put copies of my writings for Patch and since she had no computer, she could not see them. I also sent her current pictures of my younger grandchildren which she loved seeing. She had never seen them in person, but felt she knew them. She sent Chanukah cards and gifts birthday cards and gifts and once sent them a Halloween present too. Recently I heard from her only child, a daughter, Amy and she said she was still cleaning out Mom’s home. It was taking a long time, because she like me and most everybody I know from our generation, saves and saves and puts away cards, mementoes, souvenirs and hobby things.

In this newly found card, Virginia Woerner wrote “the pictures of the children are perfect. Girl, I do not know how you do what you do. The newsletters (Patch articles) are real treasures to read. I think you kindle a memory or two in everyone’s heart with your writing. I hope you are keeping personal journals for your grandchildren. You have golden hands and memories.”

Wow, that is some tribute, no wonder I kept it and I am lucky I just found it. I was looking for something in this drawer, this certainly was not junk. It was a wakeup call to continue on writing and remembering things from the past for the grandchildren and my readers.

Thursday is my 52^nd wedding anniversary and now days, that is a long time for a marriage to one person. Actually, the same person, Jerry and I. Mom was married to Dad for 37.5 years before he passed and my brother and his wife for 25 years before a divorce. So we topped the two of them from my family.

Virginia and Ray, her husband were married about fifty-five years, so that was a long time too. Many movie and television stars are married every few years to someone else. So Virginia and I beat them too.

Life is short and we should all treasure each and every day we are here to celebrate our days. There is a soap opera named Days Of Our Lives. It shows an hourglass with the sand pouring down it to portray days and hours going by. When I use to watch it and my son was about two, I had to turn it off; he did not like the picture of the sand pouring in the sandglass. I stopped watching it then. However, it is a good hourly representative when the sand pours through our days.

Many of us have some days when we want it to be over with and the next day will happen. Perhaps, it is a painful day with our ailments, perhaps a boring day when we are bored; perhaps it is a work day when we want to go home. However, it is a day and each day is full of expectation of what good things can occur or just plain even days of nothing bad or painful happening.

When I have to go to the dentist, I think I wish it was three o’clock now, because I would be on my way home and have this procedure or teeth cleaning over with. I think that way on other things that I do not like participating in. I look forward to the next hour, the happening will be in the past and that I survived it or handled it well.

Pregnant women count the days to the designated day, the child will be born and everything will be fine. Waiting for one’s wedding day is sometimes tiring, but you know the end result will be a meaningful beginning to a new life with your new spouse.

This year I will not get as usual for the first time in 56 years an anniversary card from Virginia. I will have one in my heart from her and she said that I “kindled a memory or two in everyone’s heart” with my writings. Virginia, my dear friend, you kindled and still kindle a blessed memory of our friendship of over sixty years, when I find a card like mentioned above and when I read your eloquent words. You, yourself had “golden hands” when you were my hairdresser sixty some years ago and even now your golden thoughts, will always be in my heart. I can still hear your voice when I called and you said “Woerner residence.” I wish I had recorded a conversation we often had and could still hear your melodic voice and your special and beautiful laugh. I wrote a eulogy to be read at her funeral celebration happening. Her daughter read it for me because I was full of tears

I know you are in Heaven looking down on me on my anniversary and wishing Jerry and I a great day.

It was my special day when I met you all those years ago and I wish everyone could have a friend like we were to each other. If they do, treasure it for now and remember golden days can last forever in your mind, soul and heart even if one of you has left. You did not leave, you are still there in the silent moment, when I hear your golden comments about me and that is how I will always remember you.

Amy might have lots of cleaning out to do of your possessions and savings; but the memories of her mom to her and of her mom to me are genuine, pure and constant. They will always be here.

If you thought that I was somehow golden; I know for sure that you were too.