Signal Mountain days
It seemed like there were always crickets- which I love. The sky was bluer, the air was cleaner (well, it is 5,000 feet in altitude) and in this dream world, everything was actually real.
When we first moved to Signal Mountain I was eight- I remember sitting in the backseat in great awe as we twisted and turned and went up what seemed like a never-ending mountain (I had previously been in the flatlands of Chicago) only to get to the greatest house in the whole world!! "Hefley House" as we call it (that's my maiden name) was a kid's perfect house on a kid's perfect yard. Two stories with a third split level den; six bedrooms; a screened in porch that was big enough to rollerskate on; a huge yard with climbing trees galore; a secret hideout attic where my sister painted a dragon on the door (it's still there) and a secret hideout cubbyhole beneath the porch that was Only Mine (because I was the only one short enough to stand up in it)
My childhood was like a William Wordsworth poem, only better. Most of it I remember being outdoors; riding my bicycle everywhere (everything was so safe!) jumping on the trampoline, playing with my friends. My Mom and Dad loved me and peace and harmony reigned throughout the earth. There wasn't any such thing as war or death or poverty or sickness. Everything moved in kind of a golden haze, and there was my dog Frisky beside me, running, always running, keeping ahead and then bounding in front of my bicycle.
A cold rainy day just meant a cozy afternoon with Mom in front of the fireplace, playing cards, or singing and playing "my" piano. My two big sisters were both beautiful, popular, and had lots of boyfriends, and I was terribly jealous- but it never seemed to make me unhappy.
At night I would lie in bed and sometimes sing songs, just because I felt happy. The window would be open and the warm air and the sound of crickets filled the room. There wasn't any place better on earth. I still don't think there is.
I had some wonderful friends, but two especially stand out in my memories. Lolly (ok, now she's grown up and Lehne) was very talented, funny, smart, and interesting. I was a little scared of her parents because their family seemed much more sophisticated than mine. They were always in plays at the local theater and Lolly could play the piano, sing, and cook, all better than me. I thought she was the coolest. Funny thing is, I still do- 34 (yikes!) years after we met, we're still best friends.
My other special friend was Dee Dee- especially after Lolly moved to Florida. Dee Dee was always up for anything fun, and everything was fun when you were with her. We lived on our bikes and our dogs were our pals (we even married them in a special ceremony) We played marbles, had a M*A*S*H club, came up with a million and one ways to play hide and seek, and always went sledding on her street because it went straight down and ended in a cul-de-sac...better than any theme show park attraction! Dee Dee's house seemed like my second home because I spent so much time there, and because I felt so comfortable there. Her parents were very like my own- they actually stayed married to each other for over fifty years- and there were three sisters at her house, too. Her family was always happy and even when we were tormenting her older sister or trying to hide from her younger sister, there never was any real animosity. We were too happy to really be mad at anybody. I was scared of her garage, but wouldn't ever tell her-she might think I was a baby! We played "Pong" at her kitchen table and thought it was the most amazing thing ever. She was my pal when I first Found Music-I think a very special part of a person's life. We had a big tape recorder and would put it next to the radio and listen to WGOW and WDEF and tape our favorite songs. Whenever I hear those old late seventies songs, that all comes back- the yellow bedroom with the twin beds, the hamsters that were always escaping, and the plans you always were making for More Fun Later On.
My parents recently died, and Dee Dee's parents recently died (her father very recently) and now she just lost a nephew, her older sister's son. Sometimes it is hard to reconcile the past with the present when life hits you with all this sadness. You can't live in the past, and there's so many people you love in the present you wouldn't want to, but oh, the memories are so sweet. I wish I could take them all and wrap them up in a box and give them to Dee Dee and her family. But I guess I don't need to; they already have them.
I think heaven will be a lot like Signal Mountain, except everyone we love, past and present, will be there. There won't be any worries or sadness; there will always be lots of love. Every day will be like a Christmas day.
Until then, I guess we take the love and the faith and the happiness of the memories and hold them in our hearts, to keep us strong so we can soldier on.
There are places I remember...
In my life, though some have changed
Some forever, some for better...
Some have gone, and some remain.
All these memories have their meaning
Of people and friends that went before
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I loved them all.
(The Beatles)
This post is dedicated to the Herdy family, one of the best families I've ever known.
May God bless you and keep you
May His love comfort and sustain you
May you find your world again.
I love you all.
cheri grace
When we first moved to Signal Mountain I was eight- I remember sitting in the backseat in great awe as we twisted and turned and went up what seemed like a never-ending mountain (I had previously been in the flatlands of Chicago) only to get to the greatest house in the whole world!! "Hefley House" as we call it (that's my maiden name) was a kid's perfect house on a kid's perfect yard. Two stories with a third split level den; six bedrooms; a screened in porch that was big enough to rollerskate on; a huge yard with climbing trees galore; a secret hideout attic where my sister painted a dragon on the door (it's still there) and a secret hideout cubbyhole beneath the porch that was Only Mine (because I was the only one short enough to stand up in it)
My childhood was like a William Wordsworth poem, only better. Most of it I remember being outdoors; riding my bicycle everywhere (everything was so safe!) jumping on the trampoline, playing with my friends. My Mom and Dad loved me and peace and harmony reigned throughout the earth. There wasn't any such thing as war or death or poverty or sickness. Everything moved in kind of a golden haze, and there was my dog Frisky beside me, running, always running, keeping ahead and then bounding in front of my bicycle.
A cold rainy day just meant a cozy afternoon with Mom in front of the fireplace, playing cards, or singing and playing "my" piano. My two big sisters were both beautiful, popular, and had lots of boyfriends, and I was terribly jealous- but it never seemed to make me unhappy.
At night I would lie in bed and sometimes sing songs, just because I felt happy. The window would be open and the warm air and the sound of crickets filled the room. There wasn't any place better on earth. I still don't think there is.
I had some wonderful friends, but two especially stand out in my memories. Lolly (ok, now she's grown up and Lehne) was very talented, funny, smart, and interesting. I was a little scared of her parents because their family seemed much more sophisticated than mine. They were always in plays at the local theater and Lolly could play the piano, sing, and cook, all better than me. I thought she was the coolest. Funny thing is, I still do- 34 (yikes!) years after we met, we're still best friends.
My other special friend was Dee Dee- especially after Lolly moved to Florida. Dee Dee was always up for anything fun, and everything was fun when you were with her. We lived on our bikes and our dogs were our pals (we even married them in a special ceremony) We played marbles, had a M*A*S*H club, came up with a million and one ways to play hide and seek, and always went sledding on her street because it went straight down and ended in a cul-de-sac...better than any theme show park attraction! Dee Dee's house seemed like my second home because I spent so much time there, and because I felt so comfortable there. Her parents were very like my own- they actually stayed married to each other for over fifty years- and there were three sisters at her house, too. Her family was always happy and even when we were tormenting her older sister or trying to hide from her younger sister, there never was any real animosity. We were too happy to really be mad at anybody. I was scared of her garage, but wouldn't ever tell her-she might think I was a baby! We played "Pong" at her kitchen table and thought it was the most amazing thing ever. She was my pal when I first Found Music-I think a very special part of a person's life. We had a big tape recorder and would put it next to the radio and listen to WGOW and WDEF and tape our favorite songs. Whenever I hear those old late seventies songs, that all comes back- the yellow bedroom with the twin beds, the hamsters that were always escaping, and the plans you always were making for More Fun Later On.
My parents recently died, and Dee Dee's parents recently died (her father very recently) and now she just lost a nephew, her older sister's son. Sometimes it is hard to reconcile the past with the present when life hits you with all this sadness. You can't live in the past, and there's so many people you love in the present you wouldn't want to, but oh, the memories are so sweet. I wish I could take them all and wrap them up in a box and give them to Dee Dee and her family. But I guess I don't need to; they already have them.
I think heaven will be a lot like Signal Mountain, except everyone we love, past and present, will be there. There won't be any worries or sadness; there will always be lots of love. Every day will be like a Christmas day.
Until then, I guess we take the love and the faith and the happiness of the memories and hold them in our hearts, to keep us strong so we can soldier on.
There are places I remember...
In my life, though some have changed
Some forever, some for better...
Some have gone, and some remain.
All these memories have their meaning
Of people and friends that went before
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I loved them all.
(The Beatles)
This post is dedicated to the Herdy family, one of the best families I've ever known.
May God bless you and keep you
May His love comfort and sustain you
May you find your world again.
I love you all.
cheri grace
Labels: child hood memories
posted by cherigrace | 1:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home