Yesterday, my sister and my niece dropped by on their way from Destin back to Jonesboro. We had a great time remembering our childhood adventures while sitting under the pavilion here at The Empty Nest. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner under the stars while we laughed about Mom and Dad, Birdland, and growing up. This morning I enjoyed a steaming cup of coffee while the morning dew sparkled the green grass. I reflected for a bit on both the night before, and life in general. Some blessings only become discernible in the first rays of dawn.
Every time I have visited Jonesboro since Dad passed away, we have taken a few minutes to go to the cemetery and pay our respects. Usually we are there in the early morning hours. Sometimes when the dew still on the grass, we leave tracks across the grass to the grave site.
My father enjoyed bourbon and usually there is a cocktail glass resting on his headstone. Even in the early morning hours, on every visit we have enjoy a toast. I pour a bit of bourbon on his grave, and then I take a healthy swig off my flask. I always pass the flask around to whoever has accompanied me to the graveside. Mom passed away nine years ago, so we give her a sip too. Again, after giving Mom her sip, I take a healthy swig and pass the flask around to the others. We spend a few minutes remembering them, their antics, and their peculiarities. Sometimes a tear or two is still shed. As the years have passed, Miss Dot and Coachie have joined Mom and Dad in the Cemetery. We always visit them, and share bourbon with them too. Larry, Quida’s husband, now rests near Miss Dot and Coachie so he too gets a sip. Scott and Karen’s mother and step-father are buried not far away, so we always pay our respects and share the bourbon with Ruby and Frank.
As you might suspect, long ago we learned to carry multiple flasks when visiting the cemetery. The early morning visits are tough. Dad still likes his bourbon and sometimes I can tell he wants a second sip…and we can’t give him a second without giving Mom a second also. The visits are about to become even tougher. This year, I have to tell Mom and Dad that Catfish has graduated from Umass and is a civil engineer. That’s the good news. The bad news is that we are losing our designated driver and in the future, we may have to take Uber to the cemetery. After eight or nine shots of bourbon and visiting with everyone for an hour, driving isn’t a good idea.
The very best thing about last night is the realization that as long as we can smile and laugh about our memories of growing up in an incredible family in an amazing neighborhood in a wonderful little town, our loved ones aren’t really gone. They are still with us, even in Florida at The Empty Nest Bar and Grill, at dinner under the stars, at graduations and weddings. This came to me as I watched the sun come up. The last night’s footprints through the yard reminded me that blessings come our way each day.
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