Gone....but Never...Forgotten...

A decade...5 years and some change ago


"Come onnnnnnnn Lexy," I shouted to my older cousin, annoyed that she was taking so long to get dressed. "You just trying to look cute for Charlie..." I said under my breath in a jealous tone.
I knew it would be just a matter of minutes before my grandmother started cussing us both out (It always amazed me how that woman could use profanity in a way that I'd never heard it and then go lead the church choir) for taking so long.

"Stop tappin' your foot girl," my grandmother said looking at me disapprovingly and go help your grandaddy get into the car. I immediately sprung to my feet to go help one of my favorite people in the entire world, my grandfather.

(He was a tall man, like scary tall. When he entered a room you could feel his presence...he really was that tall. The base in his voice seemed to match his height, he never had to yell at us, all he had to do is say "stop" and we listened with no hesitation. When he reached his older years he was in a terrible accident that left him unable to walk. However, he never let that stop him, he carried with him an unimaginable faith that everything would always be ok. He still hung out with his friends, participated in sports, attended church every single Sunday, and put on a smile.)


I skipped down the corridor to go help him get into the wheel chair, he beamed at me (I was his youngest grandchild) as I grabbed his small brush and wallet that he always stuck in his pocket. "You ready grandaddy? I said to him with authority. I loved helping him, feeling that in some way I was contributing to making his world ok. He nodded his head as I grabbed the wheel chair that was 2 times my size and way to heavy for me. I didn't care, I managed to open it and help him get in the chair anyway.


"Stop right here" he said when we reached the front yard. "You see that?" he said looking up. I looked up to see a beautiful half rainbow and the sun shining. "That's God"...he said nodding his head..."that's God."

I crawled up in his lap...right there in the middle of the front yard and stared up at the rainbow. "Don't forget babygirl," he said whispering into my ear....God always has the power to show you who God is."


I didn't get it then...but I get it now.

R.I.P. Grandaddy