Friday, June 24, 2011

One more day...


There is this breathtaking song by an old country group, Diamond Rio. The title is One More Day. I've always loved this song from the very first time I heard it. It was in 2000 and I instantly thought of her. I'm sure it was intended to be a song written for lovers, yet I thought about the woman who shaped the life of my mom...the woman I was named after.


I lost her in my late teens and to be honest it was such a crummy time in my life over the break up of a high school boyfriend that I took for granted the last moments I had with her. I was too focused on the loss of a ridiculous relationship to focus on what was fading before my very eyes.


I have so many fond memories of her. Our weekends together introduced me to lovely things like piano and coffee. Flowers and the pain that comes from "pickin your own switch." I can close my eyese and take a deep breath and I'm THERE...with my sister Sherry. We are watching Heehaw (which she'd never probably admit to!) I can hear her voice even now "Auther you make those girls some coffee (now let's be clear it was mostly warm milk and lots of sugar but there was a teaspoon or two of coffee and HEY THAT COUNTS!) I remember watching her take her long her out of her bun and brush it for what seemed like forever.


I have to wonder now, what would my dear Grandma Lahti think of me now. There are so many things that we would disagree on quite frankly but wow I am so like her. Stubborn, strong, grounded. What I wouldn't give, especially today as my birthday approaches to have one more day. To have her know me as an adult, better yet as a Christian Woman...as a mom. Oh to have her meet my girls.


"Grandma, I would hold you EVERY second and say a million I love you's...that's what I do, with one more day with you."


You can watch the Diamond Rio video here.