Heaven or Whatever...

I love this poem ( and poet ) very much.
I love what the poem says...
It speaks to me on so many levels...
I love that it conjures up wonderful memories of my grandparents long relationships and marriages.
That they lasted a lifetime but were not perfect.
None of us are.

The Holms were built on wonderful stories, molasses cookies, spittoons, and progressive dinners. A farming family.  A love that was represented by yellow roses and calling each other Dearie. It was clear they were crazy about each other.

The Higdems were a strong, driven crew. This poem seems to represent them more closely. They loved each other and believed in the power of legacy. They were hard workers, of blueberry pie and doughnuts, farming and fence posts.

Neither family was perfect. I heard one of my students perform this poem for master class the other day and was transported back to when we were moving my Grandma Higdem off the farm after my grandfather had died. My stepmom, Pam, my Grandma Higdem and I were taking a break and went shopping. We were walking down the mall and my Grandma decided she wanted to go into a jewelry store. She walks up to the store clerk and begins to tell him how she and her husband had been married for over 60 years and that he had bought her the diamond earrings she had on for that anniversary. The clerk was very nice and raved about them. My grandmother then proceeded to give him THE LOOK over her glasses and said, " I would like you to show me diamonds I can actually see in my ears." I audibly gasped. And Pam and I proceeded to giggle.
LORD.
She certainly had a kick to her even from behind her walker...
But you know...each one of my loved ones who have gone on to heaven had a kick to them...
A little bit of edge. And life. And love. And definition

I think what this poem really brings to my mind is the concept of heaven....What do I really think heaven is?
It's laughter and giggles over jokes shared.
It's stories and memories shared.
It is the wonderful smells from the kitchen filled with love.
It is being back together again with the ones we have missed for so long.
It's is abounding happiness.
And above all...
It is feeling LOVE all over again from being apart for so long...
That is what heaven truly is I think.