September Memories

 

Six years ago at this time, my son had come home for the weekend. Graham had just started his senior year of college the month before at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.  It was always so nice for us that Graham was only an hour or so away.  We were able to see him often.  He had been home all summer as he had a summer graphic design internship with our local paper here in Fredericksburg.   Our daughter, Laura, was home that summer too. She was commuting to VCU for a summer session towards her masters degree in Music Education.  We were blessed to all be together again as a family for this special summer.  His dad and I could never have imagined this weekend would be the last time that we would see our dearest Graham, and that this picture I took of him at the crape myrtle would be our last picture of him.  The picture of me is with this same crape myrtle he planted six years ago now. Our hearts broke when Graham suddenly passed. Graham's physical form is gone, but he is still here, forever by our sides.  Love is always and forever. 

A Moment in Time

The last thing you did before you drove away,
On a beautiful September day,
To help out your dad and me,
Was plant a lovely crape myrtle tree.

It was the last one planted out of five,
To be enjoyed while we’re on the patio outside,
I watched you while you were hard at work,
Digging up all that dirt.

“Let me take your picture,” I said,
And you smiled and turned your head,
I took a wonderful picture of you,
Beside the crepe myrtle when you were through.

The following weekend you were dead,
There are no words that can be said,
You were here one moment, the next you were gone,
And we are left to struggle on.

Who could know that picture would be our last,
Of the twenty-two years that had passed,
From our darling baby to handsome young man,
We are working hard to understand.

I treasure that picture that now hangs on our wall,
A special moment in time to recall,
And when I look at the crape myrtle tree,
I see your beloved face smiling at me.