Thursday, August 20, 2020

Who Influenced You Most?

      Who influenced you the most... not counting your Mama... in your young years?

Last night I was lying in bed, trying to go to sleep, when I thought of that, who influenced me in my formative years. Oh there were a lot of people, mostly aunts. And, of course, my beloved grandpa. But, last night I was thinking about two aunts. They both were teachers and different as night and day. 

My Aunt Mary was a very sweet, gentle soul, quiet, unassuming and loving. She taught me my ABCs before I started to school and my colors. I remember walking into her house unannounced one day to hear the radio on a church station. There she was, kneeling in the middle of the floor, praying. God love her soul. She passed away too early with cancer. But, she taught me to appreciate nature and how we don't capture baby birds and keep them for our own! It was at her house that I ate my first store-bought cereal. Cheerios. I loved them. 


Aunt Lena was tall, loud, a bit overbearing. Mom and I lived with her a school session or two and she'd let me grade her students papers. Well, I guess she must have had confidence in my ability to do so. She was always whistling church hymns as she worked and she introduced me to amazing things like mayonaise, which btw, I still love! Just ask my kids. I really slather that stuff on my sandwiches. And, she like pretty things and loved shoes. I got her feet. size 9aaa. Try to buy a pair of shoes in that size these days!! 

This aunt always ate shredded wheat. They came in rectangular boxes, the big 'biscuits' of wheat layered inside with little pieces of cardboard between the layers. Those little pieces of cardboard had pictures to color and games to play. I thought it was the greatest thing ever! 


It's funny how things will run through your mind, when the night is dark and you are alone. I miss those gone on before. They taught me so much. 

9 comments:

  1. My grandmother. She was a second mother to me. Spent every weekend with her. I remember she always kept Campbell's Bean with Bacon soup and a coke on hand for me, my favorites.

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  2. Wouldn't it be wonderful to visit again with those who meant so much to us? And, for those who are now elderly and frail, to visit their younger selves? Ah, if only wishes came true.

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  3. This was a fun post. I remember those shredded wheat boxes. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.

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  4. I fixed my issue and now can post here. As I observed you have very special details in your memory about each person. That is remarkable. I am l s focused on such detail but have a broader vision of how I was influenced.

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  5. I think it was my Dad's cousin Pat. She was a junior high school social worker and she was a wonderful listener and so very compassionate. This was a grand post! Thank you!

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  6. I like reading your stories like this. The shredded wheat I love. Not much on those teensy little sweetened squares they have now.
    9aaa, oh my, you pay some money for your shoes I bet. Hard to find for sure. My grandma on daddys side, I loved her so much. I loved staying with her on weekends and she would have bible study on Sundays with reading the bible and singing.. I miss those Sundays.
    She lived on Churchill of Richmond and I would go over across the street to St. Johns church and run and play amongst the old graves. Wasn't much green in downtown Richmond. We would get little hot noldes bread wrapped from the bakery, the people inside saw me peeking through window and would bring it out. Aaah, those really were the days. Happy Friday to you, Betsy

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  7. I actually remember the shredded wheat box!
    The one who influenced me most was Mrs. Morrison. She was my landlady when I was 15 years old and she was 63. I went on to have four children all od whom loved her dearly. There is 19 years difference between my two sets of children and I am grateful they all knew and loved Mrs. Morrison as much as she loved them.

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  8. What wonderful memories of those special ladies in your life. I remember eating shredded wheat but haven't seen that box before:) I hope you are having a wonderful day dear friend, it's a rainy one here. HUGS!

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  9. We lived with my grandmother; my mother worked every day so my grandmother took care of me so I would have to say she had the most influence other than my mother of course. She was always in the kitchen cooking!

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