His Memory ... Their Joy

His Memory ... Their Joy
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@GeeGranny on Twitter

I would like to fly with the dragonflies
Fly in the breeze with fragile wings
Land gently on a pretty flower


I would love to be a beautiful, green dragonfly
With amethyst eyes ... golden wings
So delicate ... precious ... special


I would be a living memory that I once had a son
Who loved, was fascinated by dragonflies
I know I can't be a real dragonfly


So, I remember my son in the ways I know how

By writing, and ... making golden dragonflies
With delicate gold wire, beads of color

I leave them for people to find
A little treasure in the form of the dragonfly
Praying that whose life it touches ... brings a smile


A smile of joy, happiness in their hearts
They get to keep something special
At the same time, remember Tommy

Doesn't matter if they knew Tommy or not
Just as it doesn't matter if they know I am the one
Who made the dragonfly they found to keep


What matters is someone finds a treasure to keep
Remembers why it was created
In the first place ... his memory ... and their joy

Note by this Author:

I make dragonflies of gold wire, and colored beads in memory of my son, Tommy.  I leave them 'anywhere' for someone to find.

When they pick it up to keep ... they read the attached note.  Remember Tommy ... my precious son.

They will read that I hope the dragonfly brings joy to their hearts, a smile to their face ... and that I wish special things to happen in their life.  It is theirs to keep.

Photos/poem are owned, written by me ... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

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• Tommy Dragonflies ...
• No More Tangled Dragonflies ...
• Help Me Remember Tommy ... I Will Be Leaving ... Sending Dragonflies In/ To Unexpected Places ...
• My Teardrop Fell on a Dragonfly ...
• Which Dragonfly in Memory of Tommy?

I Was Seeing Tommy ... Time Stood Still

I Was Seeing Tommy ... Time Stood Still
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@GeeGranny on Twitter

My son, Tommy ... and his son, Taban

(Photo owned by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee)

The man walked by the freezers sitting in the frozen meat department of Walmart.  He was a little over six feet tall.  He had strawberry-blonde hair ... it was cropped close to his head.  He wore gold-rim glasses.


He was a handsome man.  I couldn't help but, stop ... watch him as he moved around with his family.  I heard his voice ... it made me smile ... tears came into my eyes.  He had a soft voice.


A little boy ran around him, his mother, and sister.  He was saying something to his daddy.  The man reached down, touseled the little boy's hair ... that was just like his daddy's.  I felt a pain in my Heart ... like someone reaching inside my chest ... squeezing it.


The man looked over, saw me ... nodded his head, smiled.  Just like Tommy would do to a stranger.  Polite, nice.


Emotion welled up inside my chest ... I felt the urge to cry.  Tears rolled in a warm flow down my cheeks.  Anyone watching me as I was watching the man would wonder why this middle-aged woman stood ... watching a younger man.


No one would know that for a few moments ... I was seeing Tommy.  I was seeing Tommy, my son ... my only child ... in the person of this man.  I was hearing Tommy ... hearing my grandson, Taban ... as they joked, played.


The world stood still ... I could only watch.  I forgot where I was.  I wanted to go over ... to look closer to see how much the man looked like Tommy in the face.  I was fascinated at how much he resembled Tommy.  At that moment ... I was seeing Tommy.






Note by this author:

I know it is always going to be someone to remind me of Tommy.  Tommy is my son who died May 29, 2010.  He collapsed on the beach (Myrtle Beach) ... died ... he was doing what he was looking forward to doing.  That was playing with Taban, his 3 year old son.


Tommy and his family arrived at Myrtle Beach that evening to spend a week.  He made it in time ... to go on his final journey.  No one knew Tommy had 3 blockages to his heart.  He didn't know it.


I cry for Tommy.  My tears are silent ... there's no crying aloud.  I grieve in silence.  My grief has been silent since that evening.  I never bother anyone with something they can't possibly help me with.


For five years ... I have worked through this grief.  For the first three years I couldn't face it ... I stayed somehow in darkness.  I couldn't cope living life without my precious son in it.


Thank God for my keyboard ... it has seen such grief, pain ... all silent.  Thank God for all of you who have been with me on this journey in my life.  I almost didn't make it to ... today.  I smile now ... everything is alright.  No matter how bad ... everything gets alright ... maybe not like before, but ... to the point where one can go on.


Photos/true story are owned, written by me ... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee  #Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

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My Teardrop Fell on a Dragonfly ...

My Teardrop Fell on a Dragonfly ...
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

Artwork by Gloria Faye Brown Bates ...




Zipping here, there through the clear air
A green dragonfly with shimmery, lavender wings
Flew all around the pond, lush ... green grasses

I walked to the water's edge
Stood there looking at my reflection
I felt a soft touch ... looked on my bare shoulder

The little green dragonfly with shimmery, lavender wings
Had lit there ... it sat there looking up at me
I looked into its blue-green eyes, saw a sunshine smile

I knew then, it was a sign from Tommy
Coming to say hello to me
I stood there for the longest time smiling at the dragonfly

I could feel the warmth of tears in my eyes
A diamond teardrop fell softly on the dragonfly
I knew it would fly away

The dragonfly wings glistened from the moisture
Its wings began to flutter as it rose from my shoulder
To fly off to zip all around once again

Did the dragonfly come to say 'Hello Mama'?
When it sat on my shoulder ... filled my Heart with happiness
I felt it did ... I don't think it minded my teardrop on him

Dragonfly with the green body ... shimmery, lavender wings
It meant the world for you to fly to me
I'm going to have a tattoo of you where you sat

Sat on my right shoulder ... I could barely feel you
Weightless yet ... your presence was strongly felt
A sign from Tommy saying ... 'Hello Mama'

Zipping here ... zipping there
I saw its shimmery, lavender wings glistening
My teardrop fell on a dragonfly ... it glistened in the sunshine

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Which Dragonfly in Memory of Tommy?

Tattoo Artist ... Perfect Dragonfly ... are now Decided On
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

I know now ... which dragonfly I want.  I've had a hard time between two dragonflies a friend sent to me off Pinterest.  Oh, both are ... perfect.

I chose the solid color dragonfly that is purple.  I decided on that one until ... I kept being pulled back to the dragonfly that has a soft 'green' body, and the wings are soft colors, including soft purple. The dragonfly on the ... left.

Purple and green are colors that are my good luck colors.  I want the dragonfly to be those colors.  The photo on the left is the dragonfly I chose ... it was a very difficult decision.

I wonder if you will agree with me on my choice.  I would be happy to hear your thoughts on this.  Which one would you pick?  The one on the left ... or the one on the right?

I have decided also, who to get to do the tattoo.  When it's time, I will share it in photos.

Jason Wilkins at Dystinkd Tattoos on ... 215 S. Bickett Blvd, Louisburg, NC  919-265-7353 ... is who I chose out of two tattoo artists.  

Oh ... not only are tattoos done there ... he has people who do piercings, permanent makeup and such. If you go there, just mention Gloria/Granny Gee and the dragonfly.

I've been following Jason's work online, listening to others who got their tattoos  ... for quite some time.  I'm impressed by his shop ... it's sterile like a doctor's office ... I have noticed he takes such pride in his shop.  He encourages people to be careful when they go for a tattoo. It made a very good impression on me.

See, I've never been in a tattoo shop ... I only heard about them!  Jason's shop has a good reputation.

I'm excited now, that I know which dragonfly I want ... without a doubt.  I'm excited I have chosen the tattoo artist I want now ... without a doubt.

Okay ... why is doing all this to get a little dragonfly so important?  Because it's going to be my dragonfly ... in memory of my son, Tommy ... who died May 29, 2010.  It has deep meaning to me ... it has to be ... right.

This is the second 'major' decision I've taken such a long time in deciding on, in two months.  I feel both decisions are positive, good for me.

It will be a few weeks before I get it done, when we have extra money.  Skip wants to get it done for me ... I have to know that it's time to get it done.  I will know when it's time.

I hope you'll take a moment to let me know what you think ... do you like the dragonfly on the left best ... or on the right ... best?  Thank you.




Note by this Author:


The dragonflies were found on Pinterest ... a friend sent them to me.  I'm not certain who the tattoos artists are ... this is the only information I have:

...  'realistic purple dragonfly tattoo - Incredible work by talented tattooist Tan Yılmaz ... for the solid purple dragonfly on right at top.

...  www.anabi-tattoo.com  for the dragonfly with green body( on the left at top).

Fly, Dragonfly... Fly

Fly, Dragonfly... Fly

By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/ aka Granny Gee

I stood there watching the little girl

as she smiled brightly, skipped along her way

I saw her tilt her pretty little head of curls

to look down at a dragonfly that sat perched on a flower

Fly little dragonfly, fly

I heard her little girl voice say

I want to fly with you but, I can only skip and jump

I can't go up in the air like you can

Her face glowed with happiness as it soared off into the air

her eyes twinkled with sunshine lights as she watched

She began to wave her little arms, for a moment I thought she would fly

up into the sky with that little dragonfly

No, she didn't fly, but... if she could have

this little girl would have soared with her very heart

With that dragonfly to wherever it went

saying ... fly, dragonfly... fly!