BY GLORIA FAYE BROWN BATES/ aka GRANNY GEE
My Son, Tommy ... holding his son, Taban. I miss you, Son. Each day, I cry for my Son ... no one ever knows that I do ... I never tell anyone. It's one of those things a grieving mother does ... that can't be shared.
I was looking at photos, reading yesterday when... I stopped and just sat
looking... wondering 'why' one photo had my attention.
It came to me... I was looking at a rainbow and it looked like the one I
saw through my tears... at the funeral home.
I remember walking outside and I heard someone say 'look! there's a rainbow'!
I remember looking at the sky and seeing through my numbness, shock ...a
beautiful rainbow that shimmered through the tears in my eyes. I blinked my eyes and my tears sparkled like
diamonds, making that rainbow forever a part of 'me'... in my memory.
It was the second rainbow I saw through my tears... when my mom died... and
this one... when Tommy died. I was like
in another world... seeing both. It was
so ... strange... so beautiful.
Today I was in my art room, organizing things when I became aware that ...
I was crying. I had moved Tommy's chest
and the photo I have of him smiling that precious 'Tommy' smile ... I always
keep that photo sitting on top of his chest.
I was crying softly and didn't even know it.. it's strange to 'find
yourself crying'. It hurts so much ...
I'm doing it now. I never knew I would
cry so much in my life.
I was thinking just for a moment when I moved his chest to dust it... I
wonder if I can open it. I opened it
just a tiny crack to slip a photo of Taban (his little son) in it... I couldn't open it any
farther. I wonder 'why I'm not strong
enough'? It's just a simple action...
you just lift the lid up... simple as that. All I have left of you is the upholstered chest, and the contents in it.
I have to say truthfully, even though I know... yes, I really know it isn't
possible ... I wish so much my son was living.
I wish so much to hear his familiar voice, his laugh... to see the
twinkle in his eyes... to hear his 'cowardly lion' laugh that used to put me in
hysterics... I would laugh so much.
I loved hearing him do impression of Billy Bob Thornton. Do you know it still seems like it was 'just
yesterday' I was talking to him? 'Just
yesterday'... I hugged him goodbye...I watched him drive down the driveway,
grinning... waving to me. I didn't know
we were waving... for the last time. I
just didn't know that....
I can never look at a rainbow without thinking of him... I see it through
my tears because I feel pain when I do.
I think of my mom, too.
Seeing rainbows through my tears... happy colors with a shimmery, clear
veil of my tears. I remember when I used
to look at them without tears... those days are gone.
Diamond tears and colorful rainbows... how sad and beautiful the two are...
how so sad and beautiful they are.
Photo/story are owned by me... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee I wrote this some time, ago.
I am thinking anyone would cry every day for the loss of a child---( no matter the age of that child). Today would have been my nephew's birthday. He would been 43 years old today if that drunk driver hadn't ran into him. I know you miss Tommy and his lion laugh and all the other things he did. He was a lot of fun to be around. So if you want to or feel the need to----go ahead and cry. Sometimes that is the only way we know how to grieve. You do it your way. Love, Ms. Nancy
ReplyDelete