Jan
22
A Flag, Half-Mast
Filed Under Amy, Home Again
A flag, half-mast, blowing in the silent wind whipping through the valley. That’s all that is left in Virginia. No more watching the birds feed or seeing the way the sun made the flowers dance. No more walks to the pond through the tall grass or late night bowls of ice cream. It’s not just the end of a life, but the end to a chapter in life. It’s funny, with one loss I feel the loss of two. Grandy and Papa, the names always came together and every time I heard them there seemed to be a peace that came in the room. I know it sounds weird, but you know that feeling where with just a hug, or even a smile, the whole world gets better? That’s kind of how it was.
Papa was the strong and silent type, don’t get me wrong, his love was abounding. He loved to help people, especially when he could fix something. I’m pretty sure Papa got an extra measure of God’s creative/creating heart, he truly had a gift. When he and Grandy moved from New Jersey to Virginia I joked that it was because he ran out of space to build new things, I still think that was partly true.
It’s hard to think that Malachi will never get to experience the things I did in Fort Valley with Papa, I guess the gun shooting isn’t such a bad thing for him to miss out on. I am thankful, however, that he got to meet him, just a day after Christmas. He was held and just for a moment was able to feel his love radiate through his being. I cringe to think I didn’t get a picture of them.
Malachi does have a Papa, my dad, and he has big shoes to fill. He will have to take Malachi fishing, and show him how to make apple cider from freshly picked apples. He will have to teach Malachi how to drive a tractor and adjust the telescope just right to see the planets in the sky. He will, and when Malachi is older and I share with him the things I did with my Papa, he will understand. I am thankful that my Papa’s legacy lives on, that memories can’t die and that one day we will see him again.
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