Page 21 - A Soldiers Exposition

Their love and commitment for one another were unquestioned. Grandmother’s fried chicken, mashed
potatoes, and fried green tomatoes were the best in town – if not the world. I remember her getting very
sick. I would go into her bedroom and listen to her talk. Often the words had insignificant meaning to the
little boy that I was then. But I grew to understand that she was “storytelling” and teaching me. She knew
her final days were near. I miss my grandmother.

I recall my grandfather and his cane. He would point that cane at me and tell me to be a good boy. If I
was running in the house, I could expect him to block my pathway by holding that cane out to stop my
passage. He was a loving man that always tried to use every event or happening as a learning
experience.

Grandpa loved to whittle. He was good at it too. I wish I had been smart enough to have kept all those
little things he whittled for me. I could fill an entire volume describing each piece and telling the story
behind each.

The little town had what we called a “Mom and Pop” grocery store. My grandpa would sit on the front
porch of that store with several of his buddies. They would tell stories, sing, chew their plug and whittle.
As a little boy, I was fascinated by the men and their life experiences. As I grew into manhood, I realized
that many of those stories were true, many were made up and many were as true as they needed to be to
educate me and prepare me for life. My grandfather was a wise man. The days were sad as his memory
failed him and he slipped from us. I miss my grandfather.

My grandparents introduced me to the bible and took me to church. I frequently did not understand what
the preacher was saying. The children sat in the main church with the adults and remained silent. After
each sermon, we would walk home, and my grandmother would prepare Sunday dinner. After we ate, my
grandfather would continue the sermon and break it down into our lives and explain how it applied or
could be applied to us individually.

My grandmother’s favorite songs were: How Great Thou Art, The Old Rugged Cross, and A Closer
Walk with Thee. To this very day, wherever I am, when I hear either of these songs, I pause and give
thanks for all my grandmother brought into my life.