Upon never being too late

I remember the day that we all stood there in my late grandmother's bedroom at my aunt's home in Halstead, Kansas.  It was only a few months after my Grandmother Brown had passed away in the winter of her 106th year.  Now on that hot summer's day in mid-June, the time had come to sort through the last of her belongings and decide what to keep and what to throw away.  You know, it's kind of  amazing how, at the end of your life it all comes down to this~what had always found its way into the "over my dead body pile", literally is that.

It was at the end of our time together and everyone was so tired. A few tears had been shed as we remembered the woman whose given name was Catherine Schilling. There was just one small box left with a few odds and ends, mostly papers except for one piece of folded up cloth with writing on it. As we examined the fabric that was now faded with the passage of the years, it became apparent that we were looking at a sample quilt-block and I could tell by the writing that it belonged to my grandmother's mother, Great-Grandmother Schilling.  It was just a simple piece with writing across the top of it in pencil lead as to how the placement would go within the rest of the quilt.  No one really had this burning desire to have it, so I took it home with me.  What I was going to do with, I didn't know but I dang sure wasn't just going to let it get thrown away.  Something could be done with it~and the something is shown below.

This is me at school last week, holding up the quilt block that was nearly thrown away that summer's afternoon in 1997.  The year after I retrieved it from the "throw away" pile at my Aunt Beck's house, I took it the local framing shop here in town and asked them if they could preserve it in a frame for me.  I thought the end result was actually kind of pretty and although you cannot see it in the photo, great-grandmother's pencilled in words are still there, now so very many years later.

On the back, I wrote a message to my children, explaining the reason for keeping the quilt block.  I wanted them to know that their great-great grandmother, the woman we always referred to as our "German grandmother", had made this with her own two hands.  I wanted them also to know that the lesson to be learned in saving it was that no matter how old something is, its value is still there although sometimes it's hard to see it.  And isn't that the way a lot of things in life are?  What easily could have found itself in the trash now had been given the chance for a new life, a "stay of execution" from the dumpster.  Come to think of it, I believe I myself have received a few of those stays of execution as well.  How about you friends?

As I get ready in the weeks ahead to move to a new home and life in Montrose, Colorado~I've been going through my stuff here to decide what needs to go and what can stay behind.  Two weeks ago, my 50-year old real Easter egg made the journey to Mike's house in Colorado, tucked inside a box that was tucked inside a pillow.  An article that has absolutely "zero value" monetarily is worth everything in memories to me.  I gotta tell you I haven't met anyone else who has a "petrified" Easter egg so if you know of someone, let me know too! Personally, I'm thinking that, shoot, I ought to enter it into the Guinness Book of World Records before I die.

Well, it's morning time now and the sun is about an hour from rising here at home in Hutchinson, Kansas.  It's a  school day and in less than 2 hours, over 230 of the greatest kids ever will begin arriving at school, ready to begin a new week.  Even though times get a little hectic within the course of the school day, I'm enjoying these last few months of being one of their teachers.  When I say "good-bye" to them as they walk out the door that last day in May, I know that it will be my "last day" with them as well.  I'm really grateful for the "stay of execution" that I received in the fall of 2010, only 5 short months after I had  "officially" retired from being a teacher.  I've been granted 3 full years more to teach and at the end of May I will have completed my 35th year.  I thought I was ready to "quit" teaching after year 32  but someone way more smarter than I am, had other plans for me.

Have a wonderful Monday, the 18th day of February in the year 2013.  The day is waiting for us, filled with good things enough to outweigh any of the bad that might happen.  If I have already said it a 1,000 times before, I need to say it once again.  Thank you my dear friends for everything that you have done for me in the past and also well into the future.  I'm grateful for everything in life and your friendship is at the top of that "list".  Take care of yourselves and each other~please may you find peace in this life of ours.  I have.

I just have to smile every time I look at the photo that I was sure was my "last" one with kids.  My last group of ESL students at Avenue A Elementary before I officially retired for the first time in May of 2010.  There I am, right on the front row with all the other short kids! And for the record, to my good friends Craig and Dennis, I am NOT really that short.  I'm on my knees you two guys!

With a grateful heart, giving thanks that the finest things were still waiting for me even as I grew older.  Looking forward to a wonderful future ahead of me and realizing that even when we think it "might" be, it is never too late.  I shall be forever beholden that I received this blessing in my life.