It's The Little Things

Linens beg to be out on a clothesline to dry. Years ago, my Mike set in concrete, an umbrella clothesline for me so it wouldn't take up too much room in the back yard, but I could hang my sheets out to dry and I LOVED it. After a number of years, it fell apart. Couldn't have anything to do with the fact that my older grandchildren loved climbing up and hanging from it.

It brings to mind the scripture (from Latter-day Saint revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants), in 3 Nephi 13:19-21, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." On more than one occasion, I have admitted to myself that I love a particular inanimate object more than I should. I have lived long enough to see that very object rust, tarnish, corrode or as in the case of my clothesline, fall apart.

But I missed my clothesline! One of my fondest memories is of my sister-in-law (Mike's sister), Marsha, who visited us and took a nap in front of an open window with a breeze, on a bed made with freshly dried linens from my clothesline and remarked at what a pleasant experience it was. That made me so happy, not to mention all the money I've saved over the years by not using an electric dryer. So, recently, my brother-in-law, Brad (my sister Kat's hubby) ordered me a replacement clothesline. I am a whole woman again!

Fast forward to last week, when I put my grandchildren down for a nap, my 4 year old Brennan pulled the fresh sheet up to his face and said, "Nana, this smells really good!" It made me smile, I thought of Marsha and thanked him. He said it several more times. Not only a young child, but a male child! Who woulda thought he'd even notice? It's not a big thing, but it's the little things in life that seem to always put a smile in your heart. My Mike used to leave me lots of little notes written on whatever scrap of paper he had close by. Like I found one in his dresser drawer thanking me for the clean, folded clothes he was always grateful to find there. If it was beans and cornbread for supper, he described it as "a meal fit for a king!" I could go on forever because today marks the 9th year since his death (Friday, April 14, 2000) and I miss him. Not because he was a good provider or because he single-handedly remodeled our home or helped me be a better person, but I miss the little things. He made me feel pretty, even when I knew I looked frumpy. He had a forgiving heart and was almost always the first one to say "sorry" and mean it. He hated gossip and kept me in check. He was strong physically but had a gentle touch and what you saw in public, was exactly what he was in private. No hypocrisy.

I especially miss his creativity and humor. Once after a lengthy grocery shopping trip, I came in the front door to find him and my young son Aaron, sprawled out on the floor, like you might see at a crime scene, with a sheet of notebook paper at each one's side. In large letters, the note next to Aaron said, "DIED OF STARVATION", the note next to Mike said, "DIED WHILE TRYING TO SAVE SON". I'll never know how they kept from laughing. The notes were written with a black Sharpie pen. Oh how Mike loved those pens! He had about 40 of them in his desk at work. See, it's the little things that you remember, but they add up to a lot of sweet, sweet memories. Can't wait to be with him again.