Thursday, July 10, 2008

Theme Thursday = Birthday

Birth Of Venus - William Bouguereau
1879

Neither fire nor wind,

birth nor death

can erase our good deeds.


Buddha


This theme has made me think of all those times
growing up, all the relatives would get together.
Seemed like almost every week end we'd visit
or have someone over.

This is my grandfather. He died when I was either
11 or 12 I think. He had already had a few heart
attacks and would not give up working.

One day I was home and my grandmother called.
She mentioned something about my grandfather
slumping over or something. I asked if she had
called the hospital and she said no. I told her to
hang up and I did so. My parents had all the phone
numbers over the phone. Unfortunately, it was too
late, but they had been on the couch and he had
his arms around her. I'm thinking he died a
happy man, with the woman he cherished
most in this world.

My grandmother outlived my grandfather by too
many years for me to remember. Despite that
and until the day she died, she always said my
grandfather was her only love.

I never understood why until recently and
now know why she felt the way she did.

The last 13 yrs for me with L, must have felt
the same for her and my grandfather.
When you get lucky and the stars align,
it's much to be thankful for.

Again, I can't remember the actual age,
but believe she was around 85 when she died.
My grandfather was in his 60s.

She was living at my moms and her last
years were spent not speaking.
I went to visit her for the last time
and was told by my mom I needed to
raise my voice, because she couldn't hear.

I sat down next to her and don't remember
anything except her smile and the squeeze she
gave my hand. I get chills still thinking
about it and know she was telling me
everything about life in that gentle
squeeze.

I am remembering the birth of two
of the most beautiful people I've had
the experience to know and spend
time with. I learned a lot from them
about life and relationships.

Thank You, wherever you are!

Here On Earth (I'll Have My Cake)
Crash Test Dummies





Cheap Trick - Within You, Without You



20 comments:

mouse (aka kimy) said...

this post is pure perfection. every beautiful chosen element is beautiful - the illustration, the quote, the photos from the vault (as I liken my cache of old family photos), the heartfelt tribute you've written celebrating two beautiful people.

I confess I shed more than a couple tears - the kind of tears that come when I hear a piece of music or read something that touches my soul. thank you for touching my soul this morning.

your post stimulated me to think of my own much loved and 'in love' grandparents - such a blessing and a gift some of us have been given when the universe provides us with people like that in our sphere.

bravo, bravo!! (oh and great musical selection too!!!)

mouse (aka kimy) said...

p.s. I failed to mention I really liked seeing the smiling photos of you too! what a cutie! and congrats to you for finding 'l' - life is so much better when we are lucky in love! hugs to you both!

Mary said...

That was a beautiful post. Thank you.

tony said...

Timeless & Beautiful People.You Are Very Lucky To Have Been Loved By These Fine Folk.
A Worthy Post.

Merle Sneed said...

Coffee, I can't more than what has been siad already. Great post.

dennis said...

Dennis says we are very fortunate to know this special folks in our lives. It's a shame that many familes today are separated by many many miles. Dennis hardly ever sees his siblings or cousins anymore.

Kurt said...

Your grandpa looks a lot like my grandpa.

cbb said...

What a fine interpretation of the theme - to honor and celebrate those you love whether it's their actual birthday or not.

Also, you really got me thinking how paradigms of happy relationship got formed in my own mind. I'm wondering if more than I realized I learned from my grandparents' examples far more than from my parents (though I would hope so since my father has been married eight times!).

Plus, how fun to see pix from your youth. I think we should all celebrate our lives that way.

Much continued happiness to you (and your sweet L.!)!!

Coffee Messiah said...

mouse: Thanks for that. Sadly, all the great relatives were gone in my youth. Words didn't have to be exchanged though, especially when I see the gleam in their eyes when we were all around each other.

mary: Thanks for taking the time.

merle/tony: Thanks to you both.

dennis: Same with ours, Everyone's on the west coast.

kurt: Are we related and they forgot to tell me about U ?

cbb: It sure is something when you take a step back and really see and try to understand it all.

There's no time like now, 'cause you never know if tomorrow will ever come or change the whole of your life in some other way.
Thanks so much!

Bobby D. said...

Yeah--I have a very similar picture of me and my grandpa sitting together. (sigh)

Anonymous said...

Made me think of the "Take my hand..." line in CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE (UB40 version!) Holds a similar meaning for me.

Great post in so many ways.

Oh, and you look like you could've been IN Cheap Trick!

Anonymous said...

Can a whole bunch of evil erase our good deeds?

If not, maybe I have a chance after all.

Cheers mon ami.

Anonymous said...

i think as we get older we love our parents and grandparents more and more, and we never stop being really connected to them. We understand them more as we age, and appreciate them more.
Maybe in our next life we will be with them again, only this time maybe a grandmother will be our daughter. the bond never broken.

Coffee Messiah said...

ched: Yep, they died too young. Made for a great childhood though and am glad I had that with them anyway.

hR9: Hey Thanks. I think I was a "cheap trick" back then! ; )

fairlane: You know it's true. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers to you and the daughter! ; )

anon: Although I believe the here and now is simply what it is, I hope that your beliefs come true for you.

Thanks for stopping by.

tut-tut said...

This post makes me wish for my mother and grandmother . . . I was just up in my old home base, and it is always unsettling to come off the Parkway and see that church on Grove Street that means I'm almost home. A nice remembrance, and you've touched off a lot of memory sparks, I see.

Blank said...

This is a fantastic post. Beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday from the left coast!

Very nice remembrance you expressed here. It's so easy for generations to become disconnected in our mobile society.

Enjoy!

Coffee Messiah said...

tut-tut: Yes, it seems those early years passed so fast. My only regret although I accept it, is they died before we were adults, to enjoy them as adults also.

scarlet: Thanks for stopping by.

phil: Thanks! Yes, time waits for no one. ; (

robin andrea said...

What a beautiful post, coffee. You remind me how much I loved my both of my grandmothers, even though I only knew one of them. My dad's mom died before I was born, and I was named for her. It's interesting that even though we never met, her presence is absolutely real to me. My father conveyed to us what his mother was like, and in that way gave us a clue what is meant by everlasting life.

Coffee Messiah said...

robin: Forget semantics, I firmly believe what you mentioned is the "everlasting life" that is meant, not another chance or world.

But that's just me.