FACES FROM THE PAST
Saturday, April 26th, 2008
Not a one of us can fail to recall special friends,relatives, or acquaintances from the past. Whether it
is a ‘best friend’ with whom you spent hours, or a special person that invokes memories of a particular
event,there are those that leave a lasting impression on the heart and mind.
Botie Chitty, Hershel Hires,and Ann French are just afew of the people that left their mark on the Millers.
Perhaps those of my generation will remember ‘Aunt Dina’, the elderly lady that lived in back of the Wesley
home in Lakeland. I can still taste her freshly baked goodies and see the twinkle in her eye as one or several
of us pounded on her door.
Many of us count a long past parent as that special person. Perhaps memories of a mother reading a story in
a special time of togetherness, or a father playing catch, even though he had work to do elsewhere.
Some of us have been able to keep in touch with some of those special people, others of us have lost touch and
sometimes wish we could revisit those who are lost to us. It makes little difference as the memories can revive
feelings of joy, sorrow,and love. We only have to reach into the recesses of our memories to relive those days
of innocence and freedom.
As I prepare for my College Graduation, I am once again reminded of those who I have lost. While I believe they are still with me, their physical absence is still painful. As I go forward with my goals to become a teacher, I take with me the memories of all the stories my father and mother told me throughout my life. I carry their love and their wisdom, their faith in God and their belief in my success. I honor who they were by stretching my wings and flying off to become the best person I can be. They gave me the wings with which to fly, I only wish they could have been here to see me soar.
To all of you who have lost a loved one, especially a parent, know that they are always with you. You are never alone as long as you carry memories of them and the time you had together, in your heart, and keep their words in your mind.
As my father once told me, “As long as someone remembers me, I will never really die”.