I imagine more than a couple of you saw that headline and sang to yourself, "Memories, like the corners of my mind. Misty, water-color memories, of the way we were." If you didn't before, I bet you have now.
Memories are funny things. There are times when I can remember vivid details from 30 or 40 years ago, but can't remember where I left the TV remote. There are other times when I will see something and it will trigger a strong response in the increasingly shrinking memory banks of my brain. A couple of days ago, such an event happened. I was sitting in our Editor's office with our vastly capable Editor (I put that in because she is the first to see these columns and it never hurts to throw in a nice word every now and then) and she showed me a booklet that someone had put together of family memories. This person happens to be a cousin of mine and on this booklet was a picture of "Mama Patrick" and "Papa," my paternal grandparents. Some of you in Greenville may remember them as Ruby and Lamar Patrick. Seeing that old picture triggered an immediate emotional response. My eyes suddenly began to well up and, for a moment, I couldn't speak. I couldn't give you a specific memory that popped into my mind at that particular second. It was more like "all of them." Memories of picking blackberries on a hot, steamy summer afternoon; riding around in that old pick-up truck of Papa's to herd his cows ("chasing the cows" as I always called it); hot milk toast on an early Sunday morning while I watched "Davey and Goliath" on TV before getting ready for church; Sunday School at that "Church on the Hill" in Greenville; Spaghetti-Os for supper on a Friday night; and perhaps, best of all, experiencing the kind of unconditional love that is rare on this side of the pearly gates.
I am eternally grateful for those memories. They flood back into my mind each time I look at that newly-framed picture of Mama Patrick and Papa that now adorns my messy desk. It makes me smile. I hope today you find nice memories that make you smile here on the sunny side. Now, I think I'll have some Spaghetti-Os and enjoy a memory or two.