Emigration Ward where Tom and I grew up was snuffed out thirty or so years ago. My father was bishop of that ward for ten years as well. We moved into the ward the summer before second grade. Most of it had burned down, and we met in the old recreation hall and moved curtains around for sunday school. There was no restroom and no air conditioning. We used cardboard fans from funeral homes. My favorite fan had a picture of a stone cottage with a water mill lit with a sentimental heavenly glow.
We raised money for a new building with bazaars, carnivals and buy-a-brick drives. My father did all of the electrical wiring in that church. We had frequent ward record dances with Rock Around the Clock and Dungaree Doll as favorite jitterbug music. Nat King Cole singing Star Dust was the best ever for slow dancing. Our ward quartet won the all-church quartette contest. Our ward always had the winning roadshow.
It broke my heart when the church sold the Emigration ward building to some protestant group. My dad was the bishop who called Tom on his mission. Tom played the organ in the chapel. I gave many a 2 and 1/2 minute talks from that pulpit.
And now the closing of Park Stake makes me feel like my dad has died all over again.
Then too, Garr Campbell died. He was my age. He was the funniest most irreverent man I ever met and I have a hundred good stories to tell about him except none of them would be appropriate. He was never boring. How can he not be among us?
All is not lost; we do have our ex-pet, Alice, for the week. I will take her for a walk and remember that I am still here and I have memories of extraordinary people and times.
I want to some how artistically convey how all the beautiful people, events and places in my life have influenced me. It's such a gorgeous collage!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for the renewed feelings of loss, but grateful your life has been, and inevitably will continue to be filled with great color and beauty. It is you, after all.
I love this random quote from Charles Plummer, 2011.
Loss is never easy. There is so much to lose in this life and pain is always involved. It is said that sometimes growth requires pain. I hate that.
ReplyDeleteOh, Louise. Love you.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see I'm not the only one who has had feelings of loss over this. The stake center is a place of many childhood memories and I'm half your age. I'm sure my mom is feeling some similar loss.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, Louise.
ReplyDeleteThat is a hard feeling. I remember feeling like that when I drove up to my childhood home and saw weeds and a truck on the lawn. It helps to remember that it's the people that make a place special. Now that I said that corny crap, I totally get how it stinks to not have the four walls to walk through how you remember them.
ReplyDeleteThe house I grew up in was moved to another part of town. Where, it was never quite the same. Lovely sentiments, written, as always, beautifully.
ReplyDeleteI especially loved "I smile, because I know what girls can do."
Thank you.