Survival Kit

The story of a bride on her wedding day and the invaluable advice that she receives from her grandmother.

She stood in front of the full-length antique mirror as her mother adjusted the long white veil and fluffed the ruching on the side drape of her wedding gown.

"So lovely," her mother smiled over the young bride's shoulder.

"It is a beautiful dress, isn't it, Mama?"

"Very fitting for such a beautiful girl, Lily Anne."

Lily turned toward her grandmother. She was so happy she was able to come and share in her special day.

"Oh, Grandma," she said as tears welled in her turquoise eyes. "I am so nervous. I just hope I can survive this." Lily picked subconsciously at her beaded lace bodice with a manicured fingernail.

Hobbling toward a straight-back chair, Lily's grandmother sat gingerly. "Let me tell you about survival, honey," she said.

Taking a few cautious steps closer, careful not to muss her chapel train, Lily nodded as her mother slipped out through the double doors.

"When your Granddaddy and I were courting, my older brother Vern came to me and he says, 'Inez, I saw that no good Victor Rosin talkin' to Ursula Simmons.' Well I was so mad I could spit! We didn't talk for a long time. I wouldn't have nothin' at all to do with him til Ursula Simmons showed up on my front porch. Come to find out, she was your Granddaddy's cousin!" Grandma Inez chuckled at her story and pushed thick glasses up on the bridge of her nose. "Have I told you this before?"

Lily moved closer and nodded her head. "Yes, Grandma, you have but tell me more." The old stories were soothing; calming.

"Well, we survived that. Granddaddy worked for the railroad after we first married. He was makin' good money too. But after that first year he got laid off because they were gonna put in a new highway and the train would take a different route. We got down to almost nothing but we survived that."

"I know, Grandma." Lily smiled.

"My own Grandma and Granddaddy generously helped us with some money when they found out I was pregnant. That's when we moved out to the farm. Do you remember the farm, Lily Anne?" Grandma plucked a Kleenex from the table at her elbow and dabbed at her nose.

"Yes, ma'am," Lily responded. "Of course I do."

"Eight years and four kids later, your Daddy, who was the oldest, decided he wanted to be big like his Daddy and tried to smoke. That little stinker burned the barn down. I couldn't punish him because he was so darned cute. We lost our tractor, all our horses, bales and bales of hay and lots of crop seed. But we survived that."

Shaking her head, Lily almost laughed. She couldn't imagine not punishing a child for burning down a barn; no matter how cute he was.

"There were droughts, animals were lost to disease and then Tess drowned out in the stock tank. We survived it all."

Lily had always been told that she resembled her Aunt Tess. Her Daddy's little sister had only been twelve-years-old when the accident had happened.

"Your Granddaddy didn't want anything to do with farming after that so we moved back to the city and both went to work at the factory. It was hard work. Harder than anything ever done on the farm. And when your Granddaddy was ripped apart by that machine..." Grandma Inez took a deep breath and stared out the window at the sunshine dancing off the cars in the parking lot.

Lily bit her lower lip, smearing lipstick on her teeth.

"I survived that too."

Kneeling, Lily grasped her grandmother's shaky hand. "How?" she asked. "How did you survive all that?"

Looking deep into her granddaughter's eyes, Inez held up a worn and tattered Bible. "This was our marriage survival kit. We survived marriage together, your Granddaddy and me because God gave us the instructions."

Taking the special book in her hands, Lily Anne hugged her grandmother tightly.

***************************************************

Grant and Lily Anne Parker celebrated their fiftieth anniversary today with their many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren by their side. They've survived marriage thanks to God, the worn and tattered Bible and precious memories of Grandma Inez.

Author's Note

Please give an overall review on this short story. Thank you!

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I enjoyed the story and the wisdom.
"Looking deep into her granddaughter's eyes, Inez held up a worn and tattered Bible. "This was our marriage survival kit. We survived marriage together, your Granddaddy and me because God gave us the instructions."
I like the story shared to us by our elders. Show us what we can accept and do. Also the important of the family. Thank you for sharing the outstanding story.
Coyote

[MelissaAndres]

Thanks once again, Coyote. My grandparents all weaved tales of past events that I wish I had written down word for word. I regret that I didn't. I do remember a lot though. It is good to pass things down from generation to generation!

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree and you are welcome.

[MelissaAndres]

Just getting back online this morning. I received lots of nice comments it seems so I need to go catch up! :)