Day 590

Lilly's visit to our wonderful 100-year-old, harmonica-playing friend was a rich one this day. We caught up on each other's lives since last week, shared our childhood memories of Christmas and walked down a familiar Memory Lane.

Mr. Don shared his recollections about Christmas almost a century ago. Gifts were scarce, but his grandmother always had a variety of scarves, mittens, gloves, slippers, sweaters and ANYTHING "knittable" under the tree. He remembered the lighting of the candles on their evergreen Christmas tree and how all eyes (especially his) would watch for any possible errant flame!

We moved on to his boyhood job of delivering the newspapers in the area. He would walk or bike three miles to pick up the papers in Big Lake, MN, and then return to start the delivery process. The picture he paints, as he gazes off into his memories, is always rich and amazing.

Our dear friend then went on to share a story we have heard many times, but Lilly and I never remind him that we already know it. A new family moved in to his home town, so he went right over to sign them up for his paper route. As he approached, he heard beautiful harmonica music and stayed to listen. Rearranging his scheduled paper deliveries, he made sure the new people were last so he could listen to that music each day. As he approached the porch one evening, the musical gentleman pointed to a small box under the railing. Don remembers him saying, "Take it...it's for you." Of course, it was a harmonica and the rest is history.

Lilly loves a good harmonica song, so we put in some requests before our departure. As I watched this beloved man play his tunes, I thought about those stories he retells time and again.

Our friend is nearly blind now, but when he shares the stories we know so well, his face takes on a look of rapture and remembrance. In his mind, he seems to truly be in the moment so long ago. What a gift it is to watch his face and listen to his repeated stories. For him, the joy I see him express must be from the reliving of that part of his life. If we can allow him a few "numerous repeats" of a portion of his life, we are truly the winners. So seldom does the storyteller actually see the happening in his mind's eye. He travels back in time and takes the listener with him. That is a priceless gift...and, of course, there is music!