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Kokomo Kootsie
6/07/2002
Nibbles- Bits & Pieces
Ode To My Little Brother
I look at that small box of my little brother’s ashes, and I think, ‘this is my brother, this is my little bother?’ I can’t believe it. Saying it over and over does not convince me it’s so. To think that a human life can be reduced to this! A beautiful beloved one, can come to this—a small box of ashes, all that is left of him!
I look, and I think of him; I can see him, all his life flashes by with the speed of sound. And my love of that little brother becomes so overpowering; I desperately want him back; want us back, to young children—to live it all over again, and tears burn my eyes, as I know it will never be again, and no way will I see him, touch him, hear his voice again. Not ever. Not here.
The only way to bear it all is faith in God’s wonderful promise; He will put that small box of ashes back together again; and Jack will be young, and perfect, and beautiful. He will have eternal life, and my little brother will never be ashes again.
Right now, today, that small box, heavy with all that remains of my beloved brother, sits on a shelf in my library; above it, is a shadow frame with his picture, his last driver’s license, his last cigar. All that’s left of Jack, my little brother.
I know it is already done; he is not there. I know the moment he closed his eyes for the last time, he fled his body and went to live with the Lord.
It is done. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Amen
Because you live, I can face tomorrows. Just because you live.
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| EPM 2002 - 2005 |
Kokomo Kootsie
6/07/2002
Nibbles- Bits & Pieces
On The Farm
When my brother and I lived at Star Ranch, in the country, with Auntie, for about three years, was a real fun time for us. We both loved the country, the farm life.
Everyday was a great adventure for us. There was no end of exploring to do! There were three huge woods within sight of our house; one with a pond in it. So pretty in summer, and a vast fairyland in winter, with icicles and snow covering every branch and leaf. When the sun shone on them, it was dazzling.
One day I went to the woods with the pond, and found a skinny little snake and got him on a stick and planned on bringing him home for a pet! I had to make my way back out of the woods, and across a big weedy field, all the while dangling that little snake on the stick. I was afraid to touch him and nothing to put him in except the pocket of my dress. That was out! So I got to the fence and our house was just across the road; a few steps and I’d be home with my new pet.
I climbed up carefully on the fence, all the while keeping my eyes on the snake, and him away from me. But alas! When I was on top of the fence and ready to put one leg over, snaky dropped to the ground and was gone like a flash. I climbed down and searched through the grass for him, but he was gone! So no snake for a pet!
Young’s, who lived across the road, had a lot of milk cows and always a big bull to keep them happy. They often let the cattle, and the bull, graze in the woods. And often my brother and I would pay a visit to Old Ring, the bull’s name, as he had a ring in his nose, to put a hooked stick in to lead him when necessary, as he was one mean bull.
We would tease Old Ring, to see him snort, paw the dirt, and often charge to the fence that kept him from destroying us if he could. One day, Nellie Young told us Old Ring had a cut nose, someone must have been teasing him and caused him to charge the fence and cut his nose! Did we have any idea who could have done it?
We never teased Old Ring again.
LINK
| EPM 2002 - 2005 |
Kokomo Kootsie
6/07/2002
Nibbles- Bits & Pieces
Memory Lane
We moved to the country when I was almost twelve years old. It was November and very cold; we had a big furnace in the basement, and that was an unheard of thing for me, and was so great!
The warm air registers were one in each room, close to a wall, and I used to run across the hall to stand on the one in the dinning room and dress, when I got out of bed every morning.
Prior to the move to the country, we had a black stove, all resplendently trimmed with nickel, in our sitting room, (family room, today). In the kitchen was a large black cook-stove with it’s compliment of nickel trim.
It was so cozy in the kitchen, and leaves a very special memory for me, as I recall that nighttime kitchen of long ago.
After supper, and dishes all washed and everything put away, the light turned off, there would be a soft glow from the fire-box of the stove, flickering through the slots in the stove door. The merry sounds of the tea-kettle, humming away, where it was pushed back on the stove for the night.
Sometimes, in earliest spring, there would be an old wash-tub, with a bed made of straw in it, for a mother hen and her brood of about twelve or fifteen baby chicks. The soft ‘peep’ now and then and her murmured ‘cluck-cluck’ to comfort her chicks and get them to go to sleep under her wings, was a comforting sound; the tub would be covered lightly, and pushed under the large kitchen table.
Often, my grandparents, with my brother, Jack and myself, would just stay in the warm cozy kitchen, as it really was the warmest room in the house.
Grandpa would open the oven door, dropping it down, to allow more heat into the room; he would take my little brother, Jack, on his lap, and I’d lean on his knee, while all would gather around, as he would tell all kinds of very interesting stories until bed time.
That would not be the way of life I’d choose today; but it certainly was a great set-up to make memories for the years ahead; warm, cozy memories, when it was part of my every day life; and is priceless to me today.
Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home. But, ‘you can never go home again.’ Truly.
LINK
| EPM 2002 - 2005 |
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