A memory, and it is not chicken related

It is funny how sometimes one sits and ponders things. I am a smoker....I have smoked since I was a youngster....have tried everything on earth to quit over the years, and never yet have achieved that goal. I know I will one day, and I do believe one day will come.

I was sitting outside this morning, we are visiting on the coast, and I was smoking. It is very foggy out and very cool....only stayed out long enough.

This reminded me of a time long ago...Now I was a blessed woman to have the most wonderful Mother and Father-in-Law that any gal could ever wish for. The Father-in-Law is long gone now, my Mother-in-Law passed about 6 years ago, a sudden heart attack, no pain, just down, never to climb back up. The only way to go, as far as I am concerned.

My Mother-in-Law loved me, and thought the sun rose and set on my soul....and my children, that were not even her Son's blood, just a woman with two young girls that they all took into their lives, and loves us to pieces.

This is becoming rather long and convoluted, but I must set the scene.

We would have family dinners every couple of weeks, we are a very close family, on both side of our families.

One day, I had been trying to quit smoking and hadn't quite told my Husband's side of the family (meaning my Mamma-in-Law) that I failed, again....I was hiding and having a smoke. I was standing below the sundeck, in the carport below. I can still remember this clear as I know the day today will be. Puffing away, puffing as quickly as I could, so I could get back, and no one would even know I was missing.

Well, this woman with her eagle eyes, eagle ears and eagle nose, must have smelled the smoke, probably heard me walking around and probably saw the smoke drifting out the open frame of the carport.

I will never forget hearing this beautiful woman's voice. Picture yourself as a child, when you have done something wrong and your Mamma was saying she caught you.

"Cindi".........was all she said.

Rats, busted!!! I came out of their like a little sheep, "oh Mum, I keep tryin', but didn't make it again". She just smiled at me, with that knowing and beautiful smile on her face.....but I was caught, busted.....a 45 year old woman and I still felt like a little kid that had been caught with the hand in the cookie jar. Oh how I loved my Mother-in-Law, and am so grateful that I knew this woman, and oh how she touched our lives. Have those beautiful and wonderful days, full of memories that just make you smile. CynthiaM.

Aren't those the best people, the ones who care enough to say something but are wise enough not to judge?


Matthew

Matthew, you imparted some wise words, yes, so true, judgement. I remember one of our many, many, teenaged foster boys had tatooed on the top of each of his fingers, an acronym.

O G C J M

I asked him one time what this meant. He had grown up in an extremely religious family that just could not deal with his problems, and he had many, but they judged him over and over and over, and finally they sent him out the door....saddening, but they just could not take him anymore. He was the finest young man, just had some problems. When I asked him what the acronym was he told me, and I do totally agree with what he felt, but it was sad that the symbols had to be imprinted deeply into his soul and fingers in that way, so sad. CynthiaM.

Only God Can Judge Me