If the things in this world don’t scare you, you are not paying attention. That is what my grandfather would tell me when I was 9 years old.  Life was easy and I always felt safe. Sitting on his front porch drinking lemonade watching the cars go by while wondering where they were going.  He would often tell me stories about his time during WW2 and all of the different type of people he would come in contact with.  It did not matter their background.  They took care of one another.  They knew they could count on each other.  Until one day while I was visiting and he began to cough. Then he began to have a seizure. Then he died. My world stopped.  You see many people have heroes in their lives, mine was my grandfather. I called him Gpa Roy. He was larger than life, until he was …just…gone.   I remember the community came out in droves to see him and give their condolences.  The only other thing I remember is I couldn’t cry.

Fast forward to 2021.  I have been married to the love of my life for 27 years.  I have a daughter getting married in 2 months to a precious fellow she met while in college at Ole Miss.  My parents have both passed away.  My father in law has passed away.  The world is not safe and easy anymore.  People are not kind. You have to look hard to find the good ones.  But when you do find them, you keep them close.  I wear my heart and feelings on my sleeves. You do not have to wonder what I am thinking because if we talk long enough I will tell you.  The next step in my life will hopefully be a Nana.  Very few things bring me joy these days.  Smiling through the tears seems to be my new motto. Maybe this is a stage we all go through from time to time.  Maybe it’s not.  Either way life is not easy but if you are lucky enough to have family and friends to come home to and spend time with, somehow there’s hope you’re gonna be ok.

Not the way I thought I would start my blog, but there it is…talk again soon!