Pass Alongs

Two weeks ago my 92 year old grandmother had a massive stroke.  She remained with us just over two days before going to her eternal home.  For the first 48 hours or so she was able to respond to us and seemed to understand when we told her how much we loved her.  I had the privilege of spending the last night with her.  The doctor came in and told me the stroke was fatal and we probably only had a matter of hours left with her.  How do you spend someone’s final hours?  I did what I would want to do in my final hours on this earth.  We worshiped.  I cranked up iTunes and played some of the old hymns.  I sang to her and read some of the Psalms.  She couldn’t sing along but I told her that was ok because the next time she sang those songs it would be with the angels.

My earliest memories of my grandmother are ones of sitting beside her in church.  She loved to sing the hymns.  She couldn’t read a note of music but if she heard a song once, she could sing it or play it on the piano by ear.  I was always fascinated with her spot on harmony.  I’ve spent my life trying to learn harmony so I can sing like MawMaw.  It still doesn’t come as natural to me as it did her.

MawMaw was also quite the gardener.  Until just recently her flower garden looked as if it could have been featured in a gardening magazine.  When she just couldn’t stand the Mississippi heat enough to keep the flower beds weeded to her satisfaction, she began to pass along some of her plants and downsize her garden.  Just last fall she gave me some day lily bulbs that actually came from some her mother had passed along to her.

There are things other than flowers that she passed along to me over the years, bits of advice and wisdom.  I’ve been trying to recall them and write them down before the memory of her voice and mannerisms fade from my mind.  Here are a few:

• Day lilies are a must for every garden.  They are practically maintenance free, welcome summer every year without fail and multiply so you can pass them along to others.
• Always take a dish to pot-luck dinners, even if it’s only an assorted cheesecake tray from Sam’s.
• A lady should not wear short shorts or skirts.  It’s just not fittin’.  I learned this the hard way.
• If you don’t do anything else, keep your hair appointment because your hair should always look nice and kept.
• Fix your face before you go outside.  Lipstick is one of life’s little necessities.
• Zip lock bags can be washed out and hung on the clothes line to dry.
• It’s ok to hang your lingerie on the clothes line next to your zip lock bags. This causing your grandchildren embarrassment is an added bonus!
• You can re-use butter tubs, ice cream buckets, pie crust pans, milk jugs, and cool-whip bowls for years.  A lesson I’m sure she learned from growing up during the Great Depression.
• A kleenex can be neatly folded into a 1” square and it will fit into any pocket, purse or drawer.
• Your purse really should match your shoes.
• Costume jewelry and really big flower earrings never go out of style.
• Don’t ruin Christmas.  This is a personal story and a personal reminder to me not to be too bossy.
• Dessert should be served after every meal, preferably ice cream.
• Don’t plant your spring bedding plants until after Easter.  There’s always a frost right before Easter.
• Keep in touch with your friends and family.  Make a point to visit.
• Go to church.  Every time the doors are open.  Even if you don’t really feel like it.

These pass alongs may seem silly and useless to some, but to me they are priceless.  Small little reminders of my grandmother’s life.  Lessons learned that I’m sure I will pass along to my granddaughter.  

I will now look forward to each summer when MawMaw’s pass along day lilies start to bloom.  It will be like a little “Hello” from heaven.  Thank you, MawMaw, for all the precious pass alongs.  I’ll do my best to mind my manners!