In Memory of June Reed, Beloved Grandmother
In that space between wakefulness and dreams, I hear your soft voice calling my name. I close my eyes and remember clearly as if it were just yesterday waking up on a summer morning to the sound of Uncle Jerry coming in from his woodworking shop as the kitchen door squeaks heartily. You are puttering in the kitchen with a cup of hot coffee, and I smell waffles cooking. The gentle sound of the furnace humming and the washing machine in the kitchen is hard at work. I feel comforted and loved in your tiny abode as you place me on your lap for gentle back rubs while reading me my favorite storybooks. We sit outside on the old porch swing on lazy summer nights, watching cars kick up dust on the rocky road and listening to distant cheers from the baseball diamond. I delight in childish pursuits of pretending, tea parties, games at dusk, and outdoor tag chases. I still feel the exciting terror of setting off fire crackers in the air and the thrill of running through the neighborhood to the park or the Soldier cemetery with my cousins. You let us dress up in your clothes and wear your costume jewelry. You give us pieces of material to make dresses for our dolls, and we convert your kitchen chairs into pretend doll houses. You always have a special meal at noon with crispy fried chicken, salty corn on the cob, or a bowl of your savory spaghetti. Your kitchen table is laden with frosty glasses of lemonade, ripe tomatoes from the garden, colorful jello molded in special shapes, and juicy canned goods. The sweet tangy taste of your canned rhubarb gives me a sense of satisfaction. Each night before bed, you make us buttery pieces of toast, crunchy popcorn, or a heaping bowl of vanilla ice cream.
You showed us in a hundred small gestures that you loved us, and you made each one of us feel special. You fretted and worried and prayed for us, and your gentle strength inspired us to be our best. You were the rock of our family, and your presence was an anchor for us all.
You showed us in a hundred small gestures that you loved us, and you made each one of us feel special. You fretted and worried and prayed for us, and your gentle strength inspired us to be our best. You were the rock of our family, and your presence was an anchor for us all.
Some nights I would lie awake on your bed, tears spilling from my youthful eyes with the thought of losing you. How could I ever go on without my dear sweet grandmother? You lived a long and full life. You had the satisfaction of watching all of your grandchildren grow up to lead successful productive lives and marry well, raising families of their own. As you entered your 90's and your body grew tired and weary, you held on a bit longer to see your grandchildren visit one last time. I still remember the last time I traveled the many miles to visit you at the nursing home. You just held my hand, kissed me, and repetitively told me, "I love you." My spirit grieved because I knew that it would be the last time I would see you alive. I knew that you were ready to enter a new life in your heavenly home. Two months later, I received the call that you were gone, and there was an empty place in my heart that ached for one more moment in that little house with you. Sometimes I would dream that I was back at the old house, my heart was happy to know you were alive and with us again. I couldn't see your face, but I sensed your presence, and I knew that those memories would always be a cherished part of my life.
It is hard to believe you have been gone 10 years. How could I ever forget what you have meant to all of us? I will always remember the gracious grandma that loved us unconditionally. When you left us for eternity, visions of your little house ebbed away at my spirit and inspired me to write a poem to express my cherished memories...
Grandma’s House
Grandma’s House was built with strong hands,
With Faith, and with the tenderness of a mother’s love…
She welcomed me into her house, her heart opened
To pass on her love to this tiny baby cradled tenderly
In her gentle arms
And Love gave birth once again at Grandma’s house
Grandchildren filled her house with the song of laughter
Little feet running into her kitchen, delighting in simple
Childhood games and weaving memories together
And Grandma’s love stretched out to them like Lilies In June
That flourished in the garden outside Grandma’s house
Summers at Grandma’s house were flavored with the scents
Of Grandma’s garden, of canning rhubarb
The sweet juices of garden corn and red tomatoes dribbled
Down my chin, chicken frying, and endless cookies to bake
In the evenings, we rocked on the old porch swing
Grandma shared stories, and I shared dreams
She chased my nightmares away when I was afraid
She nursed me to health when I was sick
And Grandma’s love always persevered
When we stayed at Grandma’s house
A young woman, I returned again to Grandma’s house
Although the distance had grown between our dwellings,
Our love held us close through the many miles
She held my own precious baby girl, her tender eyes glowing
With love for her brand new great grandchild
And her heart once again expanded to draw in love
Because more younguns have filled Grandma’s house
Grandma’s house is a bridge to my dreams
I close my eyes and the memories come…
I am once again at Grandma’s house
I can still remember the sounds, the smells
The quiet strength of Faith she upheld
I can still hear her voice, calling my name
The soft noise of her rustling in her kitchen
I drink in my surroundings, my memory grasping
Every detail, trinket, picture and book
The kisses she stole and hugs she gave
Her “I love you’s” and her soft touch
And that is how memories have been built of Grandma’s house
Now a new house has been prepared for Grandma,
Where the streets are paved with gold and angels dance
The divine hand of Christ brings her home,
He whispers like rushing waters, “Well done Good and Faithful Servant”
Grandpa is there too, along with all her dear family and friends
They welcome her home
Grandma leaves us with her sweet memories to share
And with hope and faith, we will delight in that day when
Once again we are welcomed into Grandma’s house
And the Lord said:
“DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED. TRUST IN GOD,
TRUST ALSO IN ME. IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY ROOMS:
IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU. I AM GOING THERE
TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU. AND IF I GO AND
PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME BACK
AND TAKE YOU TO BE WITH ME
THAT YOU MAY ALSO KNOW WHERE I AM”
JOHN 14:1-4
--Darcee Zehm
January 16, 2009
read at June Reed's funeral
