Though it has been almost 25 years since you have been gone, I still remember your hands. The creases, the ridges and dimples I thought made you look so old! Now I realize those hands had seen some things. They had held your mama's hand as a child, they had held your babies that were born for this earth and those that were not to be held on this side of heaven; I know they shook in frustration at your teenagers and the shenanigans they pulled!
I remember looking at the dimpled skin on your hands and secretly hoping I would never have such "old" looking hands. Now I look down at my own hands... they have held joy, they have brought comfort as well as held their share of sorrow. When I look at them, I see your hands. We have the same deep creased and dimply skin. Our hands may not have held the exact same things in life, but similar enough. I look at them and wish they could hold your hand now. I wonder if your skin would be thinning as you aged, maybe a few more scars from burning yourself pulling a pie out of the oven? I will never know, but now I'm so thankful to have something that reminds me so strongly of you (even if it makes me cry on days like today). So thank you mama for having loving hands, strong hands, patient hands and for giving me the like.
Comments