Memorable Childhood

 

A Magical Childhood

My daughter-in-law takes my grandsons to magical places,

Most are educational and all put smiles on their faces,

Whether it’s a park, a farm, museum or arboretum,

Awesome natural environments she introduces to them,

Memorable childhood experiences are a priceless gift,

And she does it with considerable thrift,

Most programs and events they attend are presented for free,

And some require a minimal fee,

I have attended some of these adventures too,

Let me name just a few:

Train ride, apple-picking, pumpkin patch, hayride, cache hunting, hiking, petting zoo,

Honestly, I cannot name all the things that they do!

Story book trails, pony rides, Botanical gardens, ropes course, splash ground,

Unique places I didn’t knew existed, she has found,

One of the simplest places that provided “loads” of fun,

Was a pile of dirt, ton after ton,

In a park for kids to dig for fossils and rocks,

Right away my grandboys shed their shoes and socks,

Into the dirt pile they went, hands and feet,

Oh boy!  This was an awesome treat!

Getting dirty on purpose is always a joy,

Especially if you are a little boy,

Tammy Harvey

Written:  6/12/2022

Spiritual Mothers

 

Running out of Time

The assignment was clear, and the deadline had been on my calendar for weeks.  Somehow, I had pushed it aside in favor of other more pressing issues.  To put it more precisely:  I procrastinated!

Now this paper was due this afternoon, by four o’clock, double-spaced with 1” margins.  The English paper that had to be done properly, not just thrown together at the last minute.  The directive was to write about someone who had made a difference.  Well, of course, there are innumerable historical figures to choose from.  That seemed boring and too predictable.  I thought about my life.  I wanted to write about someone who had made a difference to me.  I was blessed to have had multiple “spiritual mothers” during my journey to adulthood:  Mary McKown, Margaret Rogers, Helen Ashby, Kay Singleton, Mary Kelly.  I define a spiritual mother as someone who takes you under their wing during pivotal times in your life and gives you unconditional love and support.  They are more than your friend.  They are a role model.  It is these women who help shape you into who you are and want to be.  They are older, wiser and nurturing. My own mother would qualify, but I want to focus on the women outside my family who were there for me.  Looking back, I can see God’s hand in this.  He put me in places and situations but surrounded me with special women to help guide me.  The choice is hard, but I choose to write about Mary McKown.  She was a special lady to so many young ladies, not just me.  

I met Mary as a thirteen-year-old (1973) while playing softball in a recreational league.  She was my coach for several years. When I aged out of the league, we remained friends.  I went off to college which was a good 20 minutes from the ballpark in Rocky Hill, but she wanted me to help her coach. She trusted my judgement, and I was thrilled, but I had no car on campus.  It was impossible to get to the ballfield.  Mary would not take “no” for an answer.  She worked uptown near campus, so she decided to pick me up on her way home from work on game days.  That seemed reasonable, but after the game or practice she also drove me back to campus before returning home.  That is a big commitment.  Talk about feeling special and important.  I was astounded at the confidence she had in me.  I was a freshman in college.  I had few life experiences to draw from.  This was the beginning of many times that special woman entered my life to encourage me.  Mary not only inspired me, but all of the girls she coached, and there were many.  She coached many years after her own daughter was no longer a player.  Mary lived just two minutes from the ballpark behind Rocky Hill Elementary School which is where I attended elementary school.  I’ll never forget how she took the time to pick me up and drive me back to my dormitory.  That was probably an extra 45 minutes out of her evening after working all day and coaching her team.  I went on to graduate college and move to Florence, SC.  We never lost touch.  Every Christmas she sent me greetings and a letter about her life.  I did the same.  She was at my wedding, visited me at my parents’ house after my first son was born and was a true friend.  Through the Christmas letters, she always knew what was happening in my life and I in hers.  She had two daughters of her own.  She became a grandmother of twins.  I had three sons, and she watched them grow up through photographs.  On occasion, we would get together while I was in town, but very infrequently.  She lived in the same house the entire time I knew her, and then after her husband of 47 years “Doc” passed away in 2004, she moved to Florida in 2013 to be near her daughter. 

Mary went from an angel on earth to a heavenly angel on October 18, 2017, just 2 days after her 94^th birthday.  Mary McKown made a difference, not only in my life but in so many more teenage girls’ lives.

I am encouraged when I think about her.  She was my first “spiritual mother”.

The assignment is complete.  Tammy Harvey   6/1/2022

The Royal Flush

 

You Can Bet on Faith

In the game of Poker, the Royal Flush is the best hand,

The Straight Flush is next, so you know where you stand,

Then Four of a Kind is hard to beat,

But a Full House could put you in the winner’s seat,

A Flush is certainly not a bad hand to get,

It will beat a Straight, so it’s worth the bet,

Three of a Kind, well it’s okay, I guess,

If you have Two Pair, not as great as the rest,

A Pair is not good, you might as well fold,

But the High Card is the last thing you’ll want to hold,

So are the rankings of a good card game,

In the game of real life, some similarities are the same: 

Faith is the Royal Flush you are longing for, my dear,

Faith is always stronger than Fear,

Fear is the fold, the unwillingness to try,

Choose Faith over Fear and this is why.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  6/10/2022

One Ringy Dingy

 

Thank You for Your Call

Automated phone menus mean well,

Press ONE for more options.

But can’t we please have a human we can tell?

Press TWO if you know your party’s extension.

The older people cannot maneuver such nonsense,

Press THREE for the billing department.

The options are confusing and defy common sense,

Press FOUR to schedule an appointment.

Wait, did they already state the number I need?

Press FIVE to repeat the menu.

If so, what was it?  I am lost, indeed,

Listen closely, as our MENU options have changed.

Let me press O, maybe I’ll reach the operator,

“O” is not a valid option. Press # return to the Main Menu.

What I really need is a virtual translator!

If you know your party’s extension, you can dial it at this time.

Press SIX for the directory.

A human voice!  Just let me speak!

This isn’t a game of hide-and-seek!

Oh, my goodness, I think someone just picked up!

This call may be recorded for quality assurance.

After this call, please stay on the line for a brief survey.

Press 1 for YES and 2 for NO.

Is there a number for “HELL NO”?!

Why was I calling?  I don’t even know.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  6/9/2022

Lifeguard on Duty

I wrote this on "one of those days" when my frustration was high, and as hard as I tried I was making no progress!

Lifeguard on Duty
Frustration is the culmination
Of disappointments that render agitation,
A series of events that drag on without resolution,
In other words, it is the yearning for a solution,
The tension builds and there is hopeful anticipation,
Patience is required throughout the entire situation,
Perseverance is necessary to fight the frustration,
But the need to resolve is a source of aggravation,
The longer the frustration exists, the shorter the fuse,
And when the dynamite explodes, there aren’t many clues,
You didn’t see it coming, like a bat out of hell,
And who the casualties will be, time can only tell,
Frustration escalates an emotional response,
It incites a bad feeling that nobody wants,
When you are treading water, and not getting anywhere,
Just remember there is a lifeguard sitting calmly in His chair,
Although frustration does have an expiration,
It requires considerable determination!

Tammy Harvey
Written: 6/9/2022

Craniotomy

 

The Scar

When Jerry had his craniotomy, it was some serious sh*t,
October 4, 2017: His life was in jeopardy with or without it,
He joked and said he wanted to “go in as a man and come out as a man”,
His surgeon said he would do the best that he can,
The surgery was long, updates were few,
The procedure was like picking sand particles out of glue,
It was messy and meticulous, but we had the best doc,
But seeing Jerry after surgery gave us a shock,
His head was all bandaged, and his face was beet red,
He was stable, but helplessly lying still in the bed,
The first few days that followed are a blur to me now,
We managed to get through it all somehow,
His head was embossed with a large, raised scar,
He was weak and couldn’t walk very far,
The shape of his scar was a backwards question mark,
“Like my $100,000 haircut?”, was his cutest remark,
The scar healed nicely, and when he got the stitches removed,
He wanted the nurse to count them, and she was quite amused,
She carefully counted each one and then she quietly said
“56 stitches I removed from your head”,
It was October 20, and I’ll never forget,
The excitement he had and his enthusiastic mindset,
It was his brother Randall’s birthday, and 56 he would be,
“How about that!”, Jerry said so happily,
He had the courage of a lion and the tenderness of a lamb,
He took nothing for granted, especially not his fam,
Family was his universe, always had been,
He told us all he was a “blessed man”, once again.

Tammy Harvey
Written: 6/10/2022

Our son took this photo after the craniotomy, but recently had it enlarged. He wanted to hang it in his office to remind him that life is short and to live life to the fullest. 

 Remembering Jerry: 4/26/58-6/25/2018

The Gift of Rhyme

He was a poet and didn't know it...
My youngest son Joshua wrote me a poem for Mother's Day this year...

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

Mom of three.
Gigi of two.
Goofy as can be.
Grounded like a tree.
She's always there for me.
As caring as they come.
And far from being dumb.
She's always picking up a grandson crumb.
Thrifting and crafting
Are never lacking.
She's creative and cute.
And always a hoot!
Who woulda knew?
She'd cheer the canes on like wooo!
She's the best mom.
In fact, she's the bomb.

-written by Josh Harvey 5/8/2022
(your baby)