Early Eulogy :)
Fridays with Susan (on Saturday this week).
Once upon a time, many years ago, we lived in Beeton. Our lives were full of princesses. We have five daughters, after all. At that time, though, there were still only four, but I digress. That Jorie came along years later, with three boys in between and when we had moved on to the house we're in now, has nothing to do with the story... (though she had her share of daisy chains too).
One of our daughters, Christy (# 2) has a birthday in June. And so does her lifelong friend, Jenn. They've been friends since kindergarten, and so have their moms.
In June, birthday month, the daisies are in bloom. Living in a semi-rural environment, there was no shortage around our house. The girls would bring me handfuls of them picked from the un-mowed road allowance that ran by our house. Daisy stems are long and thin and quite strong. Perfect for braiding into chains.
One afternoon I remember sitting on the front porch watching the kids at play around me. Daisies started coming my way in little fists and I had collected quite a bouquet. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind was the phrase "daisy chains". I'm sure it was from a book somewhere - or books. I used to love those Victorian age novels that were filled with virtuous young heroines who seemed to spend their young lives making daisy chains and having their characters built.
Anyway, I figured it couldn't be that hard to make something of all these daisies and I began to braid them together, adding in one daisy after another until there was a long enough chain to circle it into a crown. I soon ran out of daisies, and sent the girls on a mission in search of more. And more, and more. They went further and further afield, running back periodically to add their contributions to the daisy crown project. I'm not sure how many I made that day, but there was one for each little princess - and each of their friends.
On Facebook the other day, I noticed an old photograph on Jenn's account, along with a memory significant enough in her mind to share with the world. The world of Facebook, that is.
Jenn added this comment underneath the photo: "My eighth birthday, with Mark and Great Grandma Deans...and a really cool daisy-chain crown, made for me by "Auntie Sue" Stewart!.."
Further down is a comment by my daughter Christy: "My mom was the best at daisy chains."
Of course I couldn't resist wading in: "I actually remember making that chain of daisies for your birthday."
To which Jenn responded: "Do you really?.. ...I remember because I felt like a princess".
I probably put off making dinner, or cleaning the toilet or something on those early summer afternoons and knowing me, probably feeling guilty too - for making daisy chain crowns instead doing "what godly women are supposed to do". It's funny though. I can't remember if dinner was actually late on Jenn's birthday back in 1984. Or if the toilet got cleaned, or the laundry done. But I'm thinking now that I made a very, very good investment of my time.
Because I kind of like being remembered as "the one who made the daisy chains that made me feel like a princess..."
Once upon a time, many years ago, we lived in Beeton. Our lives were full of princesses. We have five daughters, after all. At that time, though, there were still only four, but I digress. That Jorie came along years later, with three boys in between and when we had moved on to the house we're in now, has nothing to do with the story... (though she had her share of daisy chains too).
One of our daughters, Christy (# 2) has a birthday in June. And so does her lifelong friend, Jenn. They've been friends since kindergarten, and so have their moms.
In June, birthday month, the daisies are in bloom. Living in a semi-rural environment, there was no shortage around our house. The girls would bring me handfuls of them picked from the un-mowed road allowance that ran by our house. Daisy stems are long and thin and quite strong. Perfect for braiding into chains.
One afternoon I remember sitting on the front porch watching the kids at play around me. Daisies started coming my way in little fists and I had collected quite a bouquet. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind was the phrase "daisy chains". I'm sure it was from a book somewhere - or books. I used to love those Victorian age novels that were filled with virtuous young heroines who seemed to spend their young lives making daisy chains and having their characters built.
Anyway, I figured it couldn't be that hard to make something of all these daisies and I began to braid them together, adding in one daisy after another until there was a long enough chain to circle it into a crown. I soon ran out of daisies, and sent the girls on a mission in search of more. And more, and more. They went further and further afield, running back periodically to add their contributions to the daisy crown project. I'm not sure how many I made that day, but there was one for each little princess - and each of their friends.
On Facebook the other day, I noticed an old photograph on Jenn's account, along with a memory significant enough in her mind to share with the world. The world of Facebook, that is.
Jenn added this comment underneath the photo: "My eighth birthday, with Mark and Great Grandma Deans...and a really cool daisy-chain crown, made for me by "Auntie Sue" Stewart!.."
Further down is a comment by my daughter Christy: "My mom was the best at daisy chains."
Of course I couldn't resist wading in: "I actually remember making that chain of daisies for your birthday."
To which Jenn responded: "Do you really?.. ...I remember because I felt like a princess".
I probably put off making dinner, or cleaning the toilet or something on those early summer afternoons and knowing me, probably feeling guilty too - for making daisy chain crowns instead doing "what godly women are supposed to do". It's funny though. I can't remember if dinner was actually late on Jenn's birthday back in 1984. Or if the toilet got cleaned, or the laundry done. But I'm thinking now that I made a very, very good investment of my time.
Because I kind of like being remembered as "the one who made the daisy chains that made me feel like a princess..."
Comments
Belinda, there are definite advantages and disadvantages to both kinds of approaches to life. I personally think you're the better person -in the things that truly matter and in the things that don't. And I'm pretty sure the rest of the world would agree! :)
Dave, I really like the idea of using "story potential" as a criteria for making decisions... Very cool.