Cherished Moments

Growing up at 103 Oak Street, my family lived directly across the street from the park, Elmwood Park it was called, day in and day out we would play on the swings, slide on the sliding board, and sometimes we would go swimming. My house was known as the family house, my parents not only raised my siblings and I, they also raised my cousins, aunts, grand children, and friends, my Mother had a big heart she took care of everyone. Knowing that, there was never a dull moment in my house. Our house was a 2-story house with a third floor attic with a big bay window, and when I was able to have company we would go out on the rooftop and sit and have girl talk.

My Mom was the oldest sister in her family and she is from Savannah, Georgia. When family would move up to New Jersey from the south, she made room for them and their families. There was one summer when we had a family cookout and after we ate, we all went across the street to the park to play softball and before long it was dark and we looked up over the baseball field and we seen colonies of “Bats” well you know being a kid bats have a bad name from watching the movies and we ran and ran, and well, I ran right out of my shoes which, the shoes that I was wearing at the time belonged to my cousin Shari, it’s safe to say that we all made it home safe and sound. The bats didn’t bother us; the next morning I had to go across the street to the park to look for my cousin Shari’s shoes, which I never found. To this day she holds me responsible for those shoes. Perhaps one day I will surprise her and send her a pair of shoes to replace those shoes to her for Christmas or a birthday present. Oh how I miss those family memories, my mother was the glue that held the family together, she passed in 1995 and I still miss her as if it were yesterday. There was times when family members couldn’t afford to stay where they was living and my parents would make room for them until they get back up on their feet. Playing with your cousin’s day in and day out we never had a dull moment. I remember every Saturday morning we would rise early and make sure that all our chores were done, and we would all gather in our red station wagon and head to the Menlo Park Mall, that was the mall with all of the great bargains, Oh how I relish the great memories, it was my family and I and cousins and friends and we would leave the mall with bags of great things and rock candy. I remember doing everything with my family, to me that is the true meaning of a close knit family.

My family and I try to meet often but things sometimes get in the way, every 2 years we meet in different places, Georgia, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Maryland, Florida, Virginia to celebrate our family, I went up to visit my family in New Jersey last Christmas and I look forward to the next time I can meet with all of my family again.