An Old Lady..A Little Blue Vase..A Lot of Love

  I got a phone call the other day from someone requesting a visit to the Little Bayou House.  This was from a little old lady who is nigh on ninety years of age.  She is my mom's first cousin but ever since I was a wee tot, I called her "aunt". Although, she refers to me as a cousin and has often said that I can call her by her first name, it just does not seem appropriate. I guess old habits do die hard.  She is still Aunt and always will be.  I am stubborn.  Anyway, she wished to come visit on "Friday morning...early".  Sounded good to me.  Sure enough, this morning around eight thirty in the morning, I heard a soft tapping at my door. She had arrived!

  I opened the door with much glee.  I had not seen her in ages, so it seemed.  There she stood grinning ear to ear holding her purse and jacket in one hand and a walking cane in the other.  "Come in!  Come in!" I exclaimed.  She told me that she was in and not to hurry her.  This is what I love about her...she is very direct, very to the point and still likable.  We get along fine.  After grasping my arm for support, she made her way into the living room.  She chose to sit at the old dining table that now inhabits the room.  After hanging the cane and jacket on the back of the chair, she gingerly laid her purse on the table in front of her.  She sat there grinning at me.  "Before we look at your crafts, I have something for you."  She opened the purse and pulled out a small blue vase.  "I like you. Here, this is for you." was all she said.   Wow!

   There was no tale behind the vase, no family history lesson attached and no further explanation.  I oohed and ahhed over the little vase.  And to be honest, I love it.  For all I know this thing might be a dime store purchase or even a regifted item but it does not matter to me.  Although it is a pretty little thing, it is not the vase that brings the happiness, it is the thought.  This little old lady ventured out of her secure home to come see me and thought to bring a little gift.  People do not do that any more. In times past, folks would never dream of dropping in on a neighbor or visiting someone across town without some token of love in hand.  She was from a different era.  She was from an era when folks held fast to old customs, when times were more about sharing and bringing happiness, when folks cared.  You are hard pressed to find folks like this anymore.  Now it is all about "me" and not about others.  A tiny blue vase sure means a lot.  An "aunt" sure means a lot.  A visit sure means a lot.  Then....we looked at crafts!