- This silver maple tree at my church that stands alone in its leaf change glory. The trees around it have either have been mostly in a hurry to shed their leaves or are obstinately refusing to change at all. - A beloved uncle has passed away and he put in his advance funeral directive that we sing his favorite song. A crazy little song* that he taught all the children and we always sang it at Thanksgiving with him. This time a group of adults stand around his grave site and sing it. The part that made me smile - just before walking up to the grave site as a group, there is a whispered flurry of making sure we have the words right.
- Later, after lunch, his granddaughter tells me that she is now teaching an 11th grade English class in the same classroom she learned English in as an 11th grader. And she took it over from a retiring teacher who taught it to her. His wee three-year-old great granddaughter demonstrates her ballet moves for me and is the most proud of her bow. A really low one in which her fingertips touch the floor. She comes up smiling.
*Knowing someone would ask, I put the title in my title above. The song that comes up on an internet search has the same title, but completely different words.
14 comments:
Oh to be limber and flexible like that again!
I smiled at all of you double checking the words.
I like silver maples. I like how they turn their leaves wrong side up just before it rains.
I love this time of year. The trees that surround our property look like the one in your picture only they are various kinds and not all Maple.
Awesome Maple Lynn! They are such a truly great tree and seem to peak out in a deep velvet red! One of my favs; I enjoyed the story of the ballet performance; especially the part where her fingers touch the ground. Those kind of moments are sweet ones that are a one of a kind life-gift. I know that I always feel special receiving a gift like that from a child; precious!
lg
:)
Your uncle was clearly a unique and amazing person - singing a song that will continue to be shared for generations to come. That's beautiful!
The tree is glorious! I love the stubborn ones, too - can't say I blame them for trying to push away the inevitable :)
I'm sorry about your uncle. Singing the song sounds like a really sweet moment.
So we can say
The tree gave way
To the slow colour
Changes of fall
Now a song they song
To a Uncle and love one
That he taught all the little
Now grown up ones
Yes teaching goes round
To his granddaughter she found
Ad a three-year-old bow
Touched the ground.
FB -
There was such a circle of life feeling after the funeral with so many little ones about. I have a wonderful family.
Granny Annie -
Hopefully the leaves don't all fall here before they can change properly.
lg -
That is a one of a kind gift - she was so pleased with my reaction that she did it a second time. :)
Talon -
He had 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren (so far.) There was a strange and funny moment when the middle-aged kids at the "big" table at lunch realized we are the older ones now. :)
Mama Zen -
It's OK and I loved singing that song with all the other "kids."
Ellis -
A perfect wrap-up poem. Thank you, my friend.
This is a touching post for me. I liked that your uncle had you sing his favorite song and that all of you had to make sure knew the words.
Most of all, I liked the connections among generations. Your uncle's granddaughter telling you about teaching school in the same classroom she studied in and taking over from the same teacher who taught her. It doesn't happen that way very often any more:~)
Fantastic shot of the tree...reminds of the trees I saw around my walk of the park yesterday afternoon.
Gorgeous looking trees and me with no camera.
Ugh.
I'm sorry about your uncle. My great aunt died three years ago and I still miss her.
Ah, Maple are our color favorite, I think!n Pretty!
Sorry about your uncle passing on- Great that he left a musical legacy- I hope some will keep it going in his memory. I'm glad a little ballerina could bring you comfort.
Thanks for the title, you know I'm first in the musical curiosity line!
Sara -
Thank you - I wanted to pay tribute somehow. And she teaches in a small town, so that circumstance might be a little more likely.
G -
No camera on your phone even? :) This doesn't sound like you.
Riot Kitty -
He had mostly withdrawn into himself, but could still rally for ice cream. The little ballerina asked her mom if she didn't get to eat ice cream anymore. I think everyone took it to him. :) I'll miss him, too.
Snaggle -
I took a music appreciation class during my last semester at GSU - a throwaway elective for some, but I really loved that class about the origins of music. Uncle O's song seemed Depression era to me and I did an extensive search for it and never found it. Just that country western version that is nothing like it. :)
The trees here sound akin to those in Atlanta, a few stand-outs, many in a hurry, but most still very green.
Number 2 sounds like a great movie scene, Lynn!
Sweet on the ballerina.
XO
Jannie -
I had flashes of that throughout the day. When the hearse followed by three limousines pulled up and a sea of his kids emerged - that was the first moment. We realized at one point that everyone was wearing black - unusual for this family. We don't usually commit to that. The singing around his gravesite - I was looking at the pallbearers crying behind their shades, but still managing to smile, too. Six tall grandsons - all so handsome.
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