Monday, April 8, 2019

The Visitation

~This photo was taken in the house my grandparents lived in, and I am the awkward little girl sitting by my grandmother.~

Linking with Poets United for "Telling Tales" with the lovely and amazing Magaly Guerrero
for A Pantry of Prose # 2 ~ Magical Realism
Come join us!

Some people have had lost loved ones visit them in their dreams, and believe me when I say, this has happened to me many times.  It always leaves you feeling both comforted and saddened at the same time.  Like re-bruising an old injury brings the pain back to the surface.  This story takes it a step further.

When I was growing up, my maternal grandparent’s home was my summer vacation home, and where I stayed for most holidays, and many weekends.  It was more than a visit when I went to Grandmaw and Grandpaw’s house.   That house was my favorite place in the whole world! There was so much sadness, and hard silences at home, so their house was a lovely home to me and a place of refuge for my heart.

We had a peaceful routine, and they both spent true time with me; telling stories, singing songs, indulging me with my silly performances with a cassette recorder and my talk shows that I made up including them in the skit.  It was no lie that I was much closer to my grandparents than I was my own parents.

 Then sadly, from the time I was 13 to 16 years old I lost both my Grandparents; my Grandmaw to pneumonia, and later my Grandpaw passed in his sleep.  The phone call I got for him was devastating.  I had lost them both, and I went through a depression for many months.

Time does have a way of easing the pain, but for 30 years after that time I dreamed of that house every single night! It was as if it was a beautiful ghost comforting me with a visitation in my dreams.  You see that house represented all that was close to my heart; my Grandparents, the joy we shared, and the peace of a happy and secure place.

 It still visits me to this day. 


Note:
I need an editor with me at all times, so if there are major rule and punctuation errors in this, that is why. I do love these prose prompts, because they make me stretch out of my comfort zone some.  Thank you Magaly for helping us spread our wings!

22 comments:

  1. Carrie, I so relate to this. I spent summers with my grandparents, my home was violent and alcoholic. Their house was a place of safety and peace. I could count on it always being that way. They showed me there was another way to live, and, thus, saved my life. Grandma spent real time with me, told me stories, played games with me. She had such a sense of humour, and fun. I loved reading this and LOVE that you dreamed of them every night for so long. They sent you comfort from the spirit world to help you along your path. You lost so much as a child, Carrie. You have made a wonderful journey.

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    1. Thank you so much for your sweet words Sherry. I am so glad that you too had grandparents that gave you a beautiful place of refuge. I wish that someday we could meet and share our stories and journeys through. That is what is so wonderful about sharing our writing and our hearts, we learn so much from each other, and gain friends that understand our journey as well.

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    2. The people who read our work probably know us better than some of our real time people, as they read the words from our hearts.

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  2. I never really knew my grandparents.

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    1. I am sorry to hear that Steve. Grandparents can be such a blessing.

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  3. I was so busy enjoying the sweetness of this story that I didn't even notice where or if an editor's hand was needed. It is so wonderful you had them in your life.

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  4. I finished your story with a sigh. It made me think of my maternal grandmother's house. I spent most of my time there, and on weekends and holidays most of the family would meet there, too. The house was alive with family and continued growing with the memories. After my grandmother passed away, the house felt... empty. But in my dreams, in the ink of memory... the house was always there, holding us together (with my grandmother's hands).

    This reads like the beginning of a Gothic tale.

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    1. And thank you so much for saying that about the prompt.

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    2. I do love your prompt Magaly and i am thrilled you liked it! It is another one written from the depths of my heart.

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  5. My grandparents were great too, and their home a wonderful place to be – though not needed as a refuge in the same way as you and Sherry did. I very much enjoyed reading, and my editor''s eagle eye didn't spot a thing

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    1. Although it has immediately spotted my own typo with the apostrophe. :(

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    2. Thank you so much Rosemary! It is rare that I do not have some king of typo or something when writing prose and essays. I think there are many that felt their grandparents home was a wonderful place to be.

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  6. I only really knew my paternal grandfather. I visit him often in my thoughts. He was the only person who ever spoiled me.

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    1. That makes me sad Susie, but i am glad that he spoiled you. Everyone needs to have a grandparent that spoils them.

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  7. "....feeling both comforted and saddened at the same time." I can so relate to this. It was a beautiful journey from one line to the next.

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  8. This is very touching, Carrie. I can still remember my childhood house. It grounds me, gives me a sense of place and warmth of love. I would guess that this is what your grandparents' house was for you as well. I love the warmth you feel for your grandparents. Everyone should have grandparents that make them feel that way!

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    1. I agree Mary....we all need grandparents in our lives growing up. It always makes me sad, when I meet people that did not know their grandparents. Thank you so much for your kind words, and I am glad your childhood house was warm and loving. That is a true blessing.

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  9. My grandparents raised me. They were terrific. I'm a grandparent now and I hope my grandkids remember me the way you remember your grandparents.

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  10. Lovely memories, Carrie. A beautiful story!

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  11. Thank you both Myrna and Vicki!! Myrna, I feel the same way, I hope my grandchildren remember me the same way as well.

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"Our best thoughts come from others." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson