holds our heart.
The hands on that old Barton Street clock continue to separate those moments of my childhood, but where those memories live in my heart, the hands of time have stood still.
Today, the old maple is gone; the sidewalks have been repaired several times; the walkway leading up to their front porch is no longer raised in the middle from the roots of that towering maple that once snaked above much of the grass-covered front yard.
The house seems so much smaller, the old variety store has changed names and served many different purposes since then. No more trading cards with bubble gum, one cent candies, or cap rockets. Even the mall we used to frequent is just a bunch of rubble as they make room for big box stores. The steel factories that put food on the table for many generations of our family are now under foreign ownership, and many mills are being closed and torn down. So many local jobs lost.
Slowly the things that are left of my childhood are being erased.
I don’t know when it was, or how old I was but one day, I suddenly let go. In those moments of comprehension, the moment I realized how much time I had wasted missing them and wishing my grandparents were still with us, I realized that they would always live in my heart.
I don’t know that we ever completely get over the loss of a loved one. The fact that I have held onto these memories of my grandparent’s so tightly for all these years, makes me feel comfort in knowing that love has the ability to stand the test of time. That one day my love might live on forever in another’s heart.
I have always found it hard losing someone I love, whether through death, or just knowing that a soul I cared very dearly for, would no longer be in my life.
My grandparents live in me. I will never forget them. Friend and family bonds are very powerful, and the souls of those we have or will love, will always be with us. I truly believe there is a reason why we feel so connected to certain people and creatures in our lives. It could be that these souls have been with us during many lifetimes and even in passing, they always find a way back to us.
I have always been someone who loved deeply. Who quickly attaches to certain souls. There are many people from my past that I still think of from time to time. Friends, past loves, family, and even casual acquaintances that only passed through my life for brief periods of time.
My paternal grandparents; my grandmother, my grandfather, and even my great-grandfather (even though the only memories I have of him are the smell of his pipe, or the Chilliwack record he bought me one year), are just a few of the many souls who have touched my heart.
This is their story.
Many thanks first to my writers group, for their help with this story. This story would not be what it is today, without your guidance.
A very special thanks as well to my family, for giving me the gift of time for my birthday, so I could complete this project.
Last but certainly not least, to all my Facebook and Sellaband friends. Your continued support means the world to me. I am so grateful to be a part of your network.
Front and back cover design by Lawrence Thomas
Cover photo taken in Hamilton, ON Canada by Donald V Monk
For copies of this story, email me at lawrencethomas@shakingthetree.ca,
or visit me on the web at www.shakingthetree.ca.
First published February 21st, 2009
© Copyright 2009 Lawrence Thomas
All rights reserved.
