I grew up in the ‘50s,

those nostalgic “happy days.”

Eight sisters and brothers and two parents on a little farm

with dogs, cats, chickens, cows and pigs.

Those years are etched in my heart forever.

We had nothing, yet we had everything.

We had little entertainment, yet we were entertained.

We had outdoor movies, ice cream socials, fish fries,

hayrides, and hot dogs roasted over a blazing bonfire.

We were joined often by friends and relatives who lived near

and our times together were rich and full.

We sat and talked and laughed a lot and sometimes cried.

We had love and togetherness that’s still somewhere inside me.

We didn’t have money to buy many things

so we had to mend and repair what became damaged or broken

and maybe repair it several times before it wore out.

Nothing was ever wasted

We kept things because they had worth.

We mended things because they had value.

But there comes a time when there can be no more fixing.

Things completely wear out and you have to let go of them.

This is true of humans as well, because…..

All lives have value.

And like the things we treasure,

All lives get damaged and need mending.

My mother and father both died in the hospital

and in the loneliness of their hospital rooms

I recalled how they had been mended and repaired many times.

And it was painful to know they could be mended no more.

They were completely worn out…..I had to let them go.

There comes a time when those we love have to leave us.

So while we have them, we need to let them know we value them,

that we love them,

and that we’ll be there as much as possible

to help them mend when they get damaged and need repair.

Sometimes it means mending our relationship with them as well.

BUT….there’s JOY in all of this.

There’s JOY in knowing we shared our LIVES with them.

There’s JOY in knowing we shared our LOVE with them.

There’s JOY in  knowing our hearts are filled with memories of them.

We think of them and we feel JOY.