I visited with an old friend tonight. A sage, witty and wise old friend. I met her several years ago when my son Daniel sold a litter of half-breed puppies for $50 each. His gorgeous Golden Retriever, Bethany, decided to go on the lam and wound up with 10 offspring that looked suspiciously like the yellow Lab around the corner. Mildred called Daniel up and asked if he would deliver the pup. He did, and wound up being her go-to fix-it man for years. She and I had an instant friendship. She's one of those people who just speak what they believe, but she is also a person that believes the best of you until you give her sound reason not to trust you. She has always spoken of her kinfolk and how much she misses them. I listen closely when I visit her. She's got stuff to say and you don't want to miss any of it.
The first time I went to see her, she had her old aunt in a hospital bed right there in the den. Earlene had been in a diabetic coma, at that point, for five years. Mildred would feed, bathe and turn her several times, both day and night. She did this for numerous more years until her aunt died, always saying that this was the least she could do for her. Her aunt, in that coma, would sometimes laugh at crucial moments in our conversations. Mildred said that she sometimes knew what was going on, even though she was asleep. After Earlene died, Mildred took on several friends who needed help. She would take care of them until their deaths.
She called me the other day in a panic. She was at the hospital and her ride home had gotten delayed by a stopped train in downtown Villa Rica. I was over an hour away and tried to solicit some local friends or family to take her home. Before we could collect her, the train moved and her ride got through. But I could tell that Mildred was slipping and confused. We've talked more than usual the last few days and she asked if I would come to Douglasville to see her.
This evening, I did just that. It's always been difficult to concentrate when I'm at her house. It's like a quirky museum, full of interesting artifacts from her 89 years of adventures. She was somewhat of a debutante at the University of Georgia, way back in the day. She told me that she had lots of beaus and numerous offers of marriage, but it just was never the right fella at the right time. There are a couple of pictures of her in beautiful formal dresses during those years and her sunny, spicy personality shines through. She is always interested in my life, wants to see pictures of my children and grandchildren, and she asks all sorts of questions about what we are up to. She is the kind of lady who knows all those special gifts of Southern hospitality that have now gone the way of the Dodo bird. She makes you feel special and loved.
As we visited today, I asked advice on several topics and she gave me simple but profound answers. I also inquired as to when her birthday was. It is this Tuesday and she will be 90 years old. My heart tugged as I regretted not stopping by more often, not making her a bigger part of our family. Here she has ministered to so many, but doesn't have her own children or grandchildren to bless her or take care of her in her old age. I think I'll take Ken over after lunch on Tuesday and bring her a little cake and a gift. It's the least we can do. There's a special place in heaven for her.
The days are so short, we see the things we should do, when we don't do them we beat ourselves. People are important and I for one have places in my heart for all the failures. My niece Gena as I was telling her I should have stopped by the week before to see my brother before he died. She said "Shoulda, coulda, woulda in a very nice way. Our Lord directs our path, when the Holy Spirit speaks I need to listen more closely. But aren't you glad there is NO condemnation in Christ. The hardest thing to do sometimes is to forgive our selves. We are already forgiven in Him. Sweet are the mercies of our God
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