This weekend Jason and I were in the Gatlinburg area. Jason headed that way to help out with the Men and Women of Action Rally (he used to work for them). Whenever I think about Gatlinburg I always think of my mom. She used to make handmade candles and twice a year she would go to Gatlinburg to sell them at the Gatlinburg Craftsmen Festival. I spent weekends in October and weeks in the summer hanging out with her and bumming around Gatlinburg. One of the things I remember most is this little coffee shop tucked away in an alcove downtown. After she closed up for the day, we would walk to the store and she would mix her own special collection of beans to make the most delicious blend of flavored coffee. While they were grinding the beans we would order our drinks and mosey into the courtyard to drink them. We would set in front of this big fountain and chit-chat. I know this is a simple memory but it is little memories like this that are getting harder and harder to remember.
I got to visit the coffee shop again this weekend. I hadn't been in downtown Gatlinburg years. We made our way to the coffee shop. It was exactly where we left it. The smell of the coffee made my eyes fill with tears. It is amazing how much smells and sounds can bring back memories. For a brief moment I thought that I might turn around to find mom standing behind me agonizing over what kind of beans to buy. I grabbed a bag of coffee to take home. I am hopping that tonight, when I brew a cup of flavored coffee, I will feel her that close again.
Jason and I in front of the courtyard fountain.
7 comments:
It's a great thing to keep those memories going...it keeps those people closest to you. I'm glad you had a chance to visit such a special place sooner rather than later. I love [and miss] Gatlinburg plenty as it is. :-)
what a sweet memory jaime.
This is such a sweet post and precious memory ;)!
Memories like that become more & more difficult to hang on to as time goes on, but even now, 14 years after my dad's death, I'm sometimes struck by a smell or a feeling I had no idea would transport me - and when it happens, you realize that no matter how much time passes, you're always going to be tied to these memories, even if you can't force them up when you want them most. They come to you whenever they feel like it, maybe whenever you truly need it most - & that never stops, I don't think.
Hang on to them, and don't be scared when you start to feel like you're losing things. You're not; the format of the memories just change a bit over time, I think, coming to you in different ways.
<3 Thanks for sharing this one with us.
That's a wonderful memory. I got some coffee there once! You could have been there and I wouldn't even have known! =)
what a beautiful memory! i just went through something similar this week. It won't go away. Every time you smell that coffee or see that little shop, she will be there.
I saw this post yesterday and could not read it. I KNEW it would make me cry! So now I'm sitting here crying. I can almost smell the coffee and hear the music. I miss her so so much. this week has been very hard, I guess its because of her birthday coming up and then facebook with all of our old friends. I'm a mess!.
Love you Jaime!
Janine
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