> > >
> > > > A Keeper
> > > > >
> > > > > I grew up in the fifties with practical parents -- a
> > > > > mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after
> > > > > she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the
> > > > > original recycle queen, before they had a name for
> > > > > it...
> > > > >
> > > > > A father who was happier getting old shoes fixed
> > > > > than buying new ones.
> > > > >
> > > > > Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their
> > > > > best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see
> > > > > them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and
> > > > > Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand,
> > > > > dishtowel in the other.
> > > > >
> > > > > It was the time for fixing things -- a curtain rod,
> > > > > the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the
> > > > > hem in a dress. Things we keep.
> > > > >
> > > > > It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me
> > > > > crazy.
> > > > >
> > > > > All that re-fixing, reheati ng, renewing, I wanted
> > > > > just once to be wasteful.
> > > > >
> > > > > Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant
> > > > > you knew there'd always be more.
> > > > >
> > > > > But then my mother died, and on that clear summer's
> > > > > night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was
> > > > > struck with the pain of learning that sometimes
> > > > > there isn't any 'more.'
> > > > >
> > > > > Sometimes, what we care about most gets all used up
> > > > > and goes away...never to return.
> > > > >
> > > > > So...while we have it...it's best we love it.....and
> > > > > care for it.....and fix it when it's broken.....and
> > > > > heal it when it's sick.
> > > > >
> > > > > This is true.....for marriage.....and old
> > > > > cars.....and children with bad report cards.....and
> > > > > dogs with bad hips.....and aging parents.....and
> > > > > grandparents.
> > > > >
> > > > > We keep them because they are worth it, because we
> > > > > are worth it.
> > > > >
> > > > > Some things we keep.
> > > > >
> > > > > Like a best friend that moved away -- or -- a
> > > > > classmate we grew up with.
> > > > >
> > > > > There are just some things that make life important,
> > > > > like people we know who are special.....and so, we
> > > > > keep them close!

__________________
Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)