Friday 20 December 2013

The Last Kiss


My first piece with Sunday Scribblings was on October 3rd 2009 and only my third ever post as a blogger. I had found a home and my first piece was called “The First Kiss.”

This is my 204th offering to this prompt site and I am reluctant and sad to let go.

So perhaps it is fitting to write a piece which echoes this sentiment.

 

The Last Kiss

I received a phone message many years ago not long after I became married that my grandmother; my father’s mother had died.

So driving the few miles up to her home where she had lived all my life I paid my last respects. She still lay in the bed she used in the ground floor living room and her daughters were there waiting for the undertaker.

We had when I was much younger lived three doors down the street. When, at five I started school, World War 2 had started and thinking that I had learned enough on the first day I refused to go on the second. So in order to get my older brother to school on time I was dumped on “Granny” for the day. I think she was quite pleased as I know now being a granddad myself many times over, forming a bond with a little one is a privilege as well as a treat. It makes you feel younger and important again even though lots of explaining is necessary; little fingers touch the creases in your face and their games are often played with rules you had quite forgotten.

So that was what I remembered as I was taken to her bed by my aunts. My own long lost childhood came back yet I was then unaware of having children or grandchildren of my own. I looked at her peaceful face and automatically bent over to kiss her goodbye. I said goodbye to a part of me and it was one more step in making me a complete person. I turned and saw that both aunts were wiping away their tears.

I have returned to that street a number of times. It draws me back like a sirens call to the land where the building blocks that made me were put together.

 

A sweet kiss to Sunday Scribblings

 

13 comments:

  1. A nostalgic journey back in time. It's so touching. I can imagine your sentiments this being your 204th and reluctantly a last one. A wonderful write oldegg!

    Hank

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  2. Another lovely memory - thanks for sharing these. Our lives are shaped as much by good-bye as hello.

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  3. Thank you for sharing this beautiful memory. I felt as if I knew her a little, just from your description here.

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  4. The past often doesn't feel so far away..memories seem to merge become both clearer and faded..our history..it is sad to see Sunday Scribblings go..am right with you on that one

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  5. Yes,they are the building blocks that make us. Sweet and suitable farewell poem.

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  6. lovely sharing

    Happy Holidays;
    Please stop by my blog Dec 25th - Jan 5th for 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' : 6th year celebration

    much love...

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  7. You capture the bittersweet feeling so well!

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  8. absolutely beautiful.
    Happy Holidays!

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  9. Perfect, your entry and exit kiss pieces. My first piece was February 15, 2008. And I did the First Kiss one as well, which was cool because it was the one Laini judged, the prize being a copy of her “Lips Touch: Three Times.” There were hundreds of participants back then, remember? Oh what a great ride! So yes, perfectly suited is this farewell to your grandmother: all that she gave and means, all that she is, in the form of you, now.

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  10. grandparents are the great mystery.... and yes, sunday scribes is a great site..!!!!

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  11. It's a new year, and Sunday Scribblings 2 is a new place for prompts for writers of whatever genre. I was sorry to see Sunday Scribblings go, so I decided to continue the tradition. Each Wednesday, I will post a new prompt. At midnight Friday, you will be able to link your writing to this site: Sunday Scribblings 2

    The prompt is up. Please join us!

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  12. After a very long absence, I went to Sunday Scribblings looking for inspiration, only to discover it was all over with ages ago. I scrolled down to the list of final entries and found this one. It's a lovely piece and expresses the goodbye so well. I'm sad it ended, and sadder to have missed so much.

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