A Talk with Grandmama

CBN.com --I took my grandmother's hands in mine, carefully looking at them. These hands had made biscuits for my Granddaddy. These hands had soothed fevered brows. These hands had held mine as I took my first steps. These were hands I loved with every fiber of my being.

"Grandmama, what do you think life is all about? I mean we go through so many times that hurt us so deeply, and when we love, we run the risk of getting hurt all over again."

She smiled a smile ... a smile that showed wisdom of years and love for me, and she spoke these words, "Honey, life is all about loving, and giving, and watching your babies grow. It ain't about being rich, or climbing the social ladder. It is about honoring your fellow man, about keeping your word, and about loving through it all. It is about realizing you only get one chance on life's stage. And it is about realizing nobody else has the part you do. God gave you a part to play out on this stage, and nobody can play it like you do."

"You talk about loving and being hurt, well, I tell you that is for sure. But you know what, it is worth it all. Just think, even if you lost your love, at least you knew it. At least for a little while on the stage of life you touched the edge of splendor."

"Life is about realizing you are here for a purpose, and then life is about doing what God put you here to do. So many people are searching for something, trying to find out who they are. I tell you in my day, we did not have much time for searching, we were too busy being."

"And one more thing, life is about realizing you did not get here by yourself. Somebody up there loves you far more than you can imagine. The good Lord has put a dream inside each one of us, and we are to live out that dream to the best of our ability."

We sat on the porch late into the evening. I leaned my head upon her knee as she talked of her younger days, of loving Granddaddy, and of her babies. As I listened the crickets began their night symphony. The stars began to shine as we got up. I lingered as I heard her voice echoing through me, "Life is about loving, about being, and about living out your dream."

I would remember this night for many years to come, just as I would the years of love, and Grandmama. Years have passed, the crickets still perform their evening symphony, and Grandmama's voice still echoes through time and space.

"Remember you get one chance on life's stage, and only YOU can play your part. "

Life's a stage. We are on it, the curtain has risen, and the dream has been born. There is no rehearsal. This is the real run.

I know one thing for sure, Grandmama knew her part well.

Copyright 2003, by Marsha Brickhouse Smith. Used by permission.