Walking through lavender fields,
Cats purring on my lap,
Writing poems,
Ice cream dribbling on a hot day,
White dresses flowing,
Children laughing,
Splashes heard in bubbling brooks,
all bring joy in my mind.
Memories of yesterday,
Great Uncle playing the fiddle at the Texas Folklife Festival each year,
Cousins floating with me and my siblings on river late at night,
Daughter being born on a new fallen day,
Playing the John Phillip Sousa duet with my sister in matching 4th of July outfits,
Country air with my Grandma preparing for next day Sunday School lessons,
Talking with my Grandpa on the steps of his porch while he told stories of Pecos Bill and Hondo Crouch,
Watching 8mm reels of family under the stars at night,
Peeling away husks from the sweet corn picked that day from the fields,
all bring joy in my mind.
Memories of working,
Internship at the City of Austin Law Department and saving the day on an arbitration,
Holding CPS accountable for not supervising when they should have and the family disappeared,
Finding a match for one of my cases into a new home,
Solving mysterious cases,
Saving a victim, consoling a victim, helping a victim,
all bring joy in my mind.
Dancing after midnight under the moonlight on the shores of the lake,
Buzz of the bees flying around while protected by a bee keeper,
The nudging of a bull in a window of old chevy with Grandpa saying “no worries”,
Sound of the last keys being played in my recital or audition contests,
The kiss after a prom date,
Holding my little brother and singing Frere Jacques while he fell asleep,
Fishing for cat-fish out of the tank,
all bring joy in my mind.
Traveling to San Angelo with my Mother,
Eating Gandy’s ice cream in West Texas, and
Eating Blue Bell ice cream in East Texas,
Genealogical trees and layered maps,
Hiking in Estes,
California tour with distant family to Disneyland, Knot’s Berry Farm and more,
Walking across the Royal Gorge and remembering that as I crossed the bridge at Mo Ranch,
Angel’s Attic, riding horses, playing golf, swimming and peanut butter with ice cream at Camp Mystic,
Girl Scout camping and scorpions – yuck! – but still
all bring joy in my mind.
Sunday school taught by Big Mama and Grandma,
Mother playing the ukelele at night,
Daddy consoling me and believing in me,
Cousins and my siblings chasing each other around Grandma’s house,
Picking vegetables out of the garden,
My dog Puff playing fetch with me in the yard,
My finding my cat Rumplestilskin at my kindergarten yard,
all bring joy in my mind.
Trimming trees,
Planting flowers,
Feeling the dirt in between fingers while weeding the gardens,
Smelling the roses and daisies in Grandma’s garden,
Sipping iced tea after all the work is done in the cool night breezes,
all bring joy in my mind.
Hearing music, laughter, the sound of the buzz on the tv,
welcoming my memories as they appear
while passing the tradition of storytelling
to my granddaughter.
Holding her tightly and telling her that all will be alright,
and kissing her Good Night as I gently place her in her bed,
placing the cover over her stuffed animals and keeping her safe,
always will bring joy forever in my mind.