A THOUSAND YEARS WENT BY

This is a complex story but one worth reading 

especially

if you believe

EVENTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

August

I was a hostess for a dear friend's daughter's bridal shower, which I missed

she heytelled me and sang to me 

"I have your hostess gift and I bought you something at a yard sale"

Late October

I found a photo of my mom and dad in my granddaughter's bedroom

I was telling my youngest daughter how pretty Honey was and that she was in a curvy stage of her life

I thought it was kind of strange as my dad's date of death was October 14

so this photo made me very sentimental
note his book collection

Mid November

I am finally preparing for art lessons to begin in January so was researching programs online 

  I had narrowed it down to 2 and finally selected

MASTERS OF PAINTING

with this program there will be history and technique

we will take one artist at a time to study who they were,  how they painted and their impact on the world

And then we will paint how they did.  I am very excited!

Wednesday

I am at my computer and think I hear my front door open and shut...could be the UPS man

I later rush out the door to get Betty at school and notice a gift sack and 2 books...no time to look

when we get back from school and store I pick up this little gift that someone has left just inside my door

It was a sweet hostess gift from my longtime friend and two art books

Under the first one is a book (both coffee table style) called

I immediately heytell my friend to thank her and mention how incredible it is... this coincidence...
this book she purchased at a yard sale and my art class plans

In fact...I was so touched by the coincidence that it brought tears to my eyes

(I talk too long and my heytell message is cut short)

She heytells me back..."I did get your message and I don't know how much you know about the books...long pause...

but they belonged to your dad

Backup to August in Amarillo

It seems she went to a yard sale, thought the girl looked familiar from her church, they struck up a conversation and discovered they were both from Spearman 

"I am going to buy these books for my friend"

"Who is that?"

"my name"

"I was married to her brother"

"these books belonged to her dad"

As I sat last night and opened the books, page by page, caressing each one
and taking in the fragrance of the old paper... 

knowing that my dad would have done the exact same thing, 

I could not help but believe that he was sitting up above, looking down at me 

in this old rock house that my mother begged him to buy in 1965

in an illustrious circle

sharing a smile

with

DaVinci, Monet, Picasso,  his family, my grandparents, his yet to be grandchildren

looking down with a loving smile as if a thousand years are only moments

he thinking of his precious family

Three Graces

His mother, his granddaughter and a Grace yet to be?

and the artists thinking of the impact they have had and continue to have

 with no idea their talent would fill the pages of a book purchased in a yard sale

that will be used from now on

to teach little kids in an upstairs studio in an old rock house