Suzanne the plans.....and sunny days that I thought would never end.....

Riding in the car with mother.

Going to my favorite aunt's house.

Out to the river in the grove.

Driving on the lane through the hickory and tall oaks.

Fall. Colors. Burning leaves the only scent.

Gravely roads, off the beaten path,

onto a narrower lane still.

All the way out the car radio on. 

Simpler tunes, mostly gentle, a few humorous.

I sing along with every single one.

AM radio, FM as yet undiscovered country for me.

I am a gentle backseat driver at age 11, 12, 13...

Quietly commenting on red lights, 

or what other drivers are up to on the road.

Chiming in with "that guy needs no knocks" when there is a noisy car.

Making mother laugh out loud.

We talk about a variety of topics,

on those long drives out to the countryside.

Mother tells me things about driving cars.

lessons I file away for when I am the one driving the car.

Somewhere out there I made her a promise.

That she would never have to be alone.

Because I owed it to her to take care of her....

never thinking that one day she would live at my house....

The shared experiences of my adolescence,

bridging a gap until we could be just friends,

mother and I.

That is what we became.... long after....

after favorite aunts were gone,

most of them, and we had to make

new adventures of our weekends.

and then she was gone.

sunny days fire and rain

simpler times, simpler happiness sunshine on my shoulders

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NO SAD FACES she lived a good life, she was ready to go to her God,
she was a true believer (John 3:16).   Do not cry for her or for me. 
The past is past, and she would not want your tears, nor do I. 

NO SAD FACES.

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