ellsworth

everyday i read the obituaries on the winnipeg free press site.
i skim for names that i recognize from the carehome, or names that are similar to people i have gone to school with etc. i read the obituaries of individuals that died very young. i love to read obituaries because they are normally written with such love & appreciation for that person. it's neat to read the things that made that person unique.

i have been thinking about the seniors at the carehome a lot lately. aging is scary. it's scary to lose your sanity, or to at all lose who you are. i am very thankful that none of my grandparents went thru alzheimers, although I did get to experience that a bit through michael's mom's dad - and i know how hard that still is for my mom-in-law today. it's hard to lose the person you know, especially if they are still physically here.

there is this beautiful song, sung by rascal flatts. it's called ellsworth, and it is very similar to what i've been thinking about. it's what makes stories like the notebook so wonderful & endearing. it's amazing to know that often when the mind starts to go, the heart doesn't.

Ellsworth

Grandma burned the biscuits

Nearly took the house down with it.

Now she's in assisted livin'

We all knew that day would come.

We knew she was to gone to drive

The day she parked on I-65.

Found her on the shoulder cryin'

She didn't know where she was.

Its like her mind just quit.

Oh but bring up grandpa- its like someone flipped a switch.

A front porch light and a blue Desota,

Couple a straws and a coca cola:

You can see it all goin' down.

A handsome boy in army green

A tear on his face- down on a knee,

Shaky voice- a diamond ring should put you in that town.

Tomorrow she won't remember what she did today,

But just ask her about Ellsworth, Kansas, 1948.

She takes out his medals,

A cigar box of letters.

Sits and scatters pictures,

Black and whites of days gone by.

We started losin' her when she lost him,

But to hear her carry on you'd swear she's seventeen again

Football games and leaves a'cracklin'

Walkin' her home in his letter jacket,

You can see it all goin' down.

A perfect night on a front porch glider,

Saying goodnight for the next 3 hours.

Her tired eyes glow wild and bright

When she talks about that town.

Tomorrow she won't remember what she did today,

But just ask her about Ellsworth, Kansas 1948.

While the world is fading all around her

Sharin' a sundae at the counter

He's goin' on and on about her

But she's right there right now

Tomorrow she won't remember what she did today

But just ask her about Ellsworth, Kansas 1948