REVELATIONS
Luke 12:2
There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.
Hi, Folks.
As many of you know, I did a story last month on my mamaw, Edna Holt Shetley. The story revolved around her father killing her mom in 1932 and its aftermath. Mamaw was only seven years old at the time. That tragic and impactful event was the one that wound up shaping her entire life.
If y’all would, I am asking that you humor me as I want to do a follow up on her.
You see, Mamaw Shetley passed away last week, September 27, 2016 at the age of ninety. She had been battling dementia and other health issues for a quite some time.
We laid her to rest next to Papaw John last Friday at Ebbs Cemetery in the Spring Creek Community of western Madison County.
Like most deaths that bring a serious emotional impact, you start thinking back to moments in time involving the lost loved one, reminiscing with other friends and relatives. Some memories make you laugh. Some make you cry.
The night before Mamaw’s funeral, something was revealed to me that I had always wondered about. It centered on one particular moment of my childhood that was simply wonderful but one that I never understood.
I thought ‘Wow! I sure do need to tell that one at the funeral’ but wasn’t sure how to approach it.
Well, Reverend Randy Wood preached her funeral. Everyone sat there in the chapel with profound grief, muffled sobs accompanying the eulogy and music.
When he finished, he said that he wanted to offer folks there to say a few words if it was on their heart to do so.
I was dumbstruck at the irony of the moment.
My cousin Jacob got up first and offered some gorgeous words.
As he was finishing, I asked my mom if she minded if I said something. She encouraged me to do so.
I stood up and approached the podium with nervous reservation, as I detest public speaking but I was determined to tell the story……..
It was the summer of 1976 and I was eleven years old. Mamaw & Papaw had been to our house visiting. They asked me if I would like to go with them to their house in Del Rio, Tennessee for the weekend.
I said yes of course. It meant that I got to play on the banks of the French Broad River and listen to Uncle Dale’s record collection, which included early Elvis stuff.
We got into Papaw’s blue 1965 Ford Mustang and off we went on the forty minute ride to their house.
As we neared their house, Mamaw said “John? Pull over here”.
Papaw obliged without comment, coming to a stop in front of Tom Burnett’s rock store in Del Rio.
Mamaw slipped her hand into her purse and then produced a ten dollar bill. She gave it to me and said simply “Go buy yourself some fireworks”.
I happily complied, going in and buying myself a couple packs of firecrackers.
I returned to the car, attempting to reach her the change, which amounted to well over nine dollars.
Mamaw said matter-of-factly “No. You don’t understand, Stevie. I meant to spend it all”.
I gleefully followed orders and when I left Tom Burnett’s store, I had enough explosives to make Al Qaeda nervous and get myself put on a watch list.
We traveled on the short distance to mamaw & papaw’s house, where I spent the day joyously lighting fireworks, almost wearing out papaw’s old Zippo lighter.
Only one went off in my hand, causing a few minutes of pain.
Nevertheless, it was not an effective deterrent.
That day was absolutely perfect to an eleven year old boy.
However, ten dollars was a tremendous amount of money in 1976 when compared to 2016.
I always wondered why someone on a fixed income would have generously given up that much money for a day of wonderment, even if it was for their grandson.
Forty years after that event and a couple days after Mamaw’s death, the reason was revealed to me:
For her grandchildren, mamaw had bought a lot of little gifts, done a lot of little things, made a lot of jelly biscuits without being asked, etc. and there was that day with the fireworks of course.
Mamaw did a lot of loving things for her grandchildren, sometimes things you wouldn’t expect.
My revelation was that she had done it for one sole reason; In little pieces of time, she was trying to give us all something that she had cruelly been robbed of.
A Childhood.
Thank You, Mamaw. I love you.
Y’all have a great week.