Road trip the other day, satellite radio…
listening to Harry Chapin’s Cats in the Cradle with its famous lyrics of reaping what you sow and what is it you want to reap in life?
Are you planting the right things today for what you want to harvest tomorrow?
I always felt sad for the father in this song who wasted his child’s life. That dad spent his time working or doing other things instead of paying attention to his son. He missed enjoying precious moments with his child.
I was, and am, thankful for every moment our parents spent absolutely goofing off with us. We kids had chores we were responsible for weekly. Their first three children, so close in age, had a few screaming battles and fights. I know that, but what I choose to remember is the fun.
Ohmigosh, did we have fun.
We played badminton over the clothes line—usually when Mom’s clean laundry was not drying on it. One summer we wanted to play tennis, so Dad plowed and scraped and packed part of the old hay field and we had a tennis court. When our tennis days were over, it became a field again.
Some Sundays, we spent time lying on our backs in the grass. Dad could challenge us with, “What does that cloud look like? And that one?”
Once Dad got a computer and digital camera, he sent us kids photographs of the Pennsylvania clouds. He still loved playing this game with him—right until the end of his life.
Games and Lessons
Our parents challenged us to croquet matches (Dad usually won) with us. Mom taught us to play card games, and Scrabble (she massacred us every time), and made sure we had books.
Did our family have money? Not much extra.
But we always enough food, always enough clothing—we never wanted for any “stuff.”
But more than any of those things, we had our parents’ attention. Their full attention.
With our folks gone, isn’t it great that we kids choose to remember the happy times? We focus on the fun letting go of the typical gripes and grievances of childhood. Like all parents, ours made it up as they went along and we turned out pretty good.
Our memories is of our folks being active in our lives versus vying for attention against a parent distracted by things. We sure won the parental lottery, unlike Harry Chapin’s little kid.
I’m grateful this Thanksgiving for what our parents gave us: unconditional love.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Gilbert W. Griffith – Dad 
Dad was fascinated by clouds… 
all his life…he sent us… 
Dad out pointed some shapes 
My beautiful stylish mom
**
Read: Life is about choices and Gladiator Inspiration
Rose Mary, firstly want to thank you for sharing your amazing memories with us and also wishing you Happy Thanksgiving! I am not aware of the song but will check it out. Happy Thanksgiving weekend dear!
You are too young, Sushmita, to have heard Harry first hand, but he’s well worth looking up and listening to. He was an amazing songwriter.
The highlight of Thanksgiving at my parents’ house used to be when my grandpa Red would get a poker game going after dinner. He was a fun guy in so many ways. I was always the youngest and would hang out underneath the table because everyone would “accidentally” drop quarters and dimes on the floor as they played.
Ah, Jeri! You had a good game going on your own, didn’t you? Grandpa Red–as a redhead, I love him already!
I can relate to the fights with your siblings. I always fought with my brothers when we were kids. But then we grew up and became very close. I’m glad for the happy times, especially, when one of my brothers died quite suddenly a couple of years ago. So I’m thankful for the time I had with him, and I’m very thankful for all my blessings.
Jeannette, maybe we need those childhood battles to get it all out of the way so that as adults we can lean on each other. And laugh. A lot. I’m glad that you had happy times with your brothers, especially the one who passed away. I like your post about our Veterans.
Happy Thanksgiving Rose Mary! What a fun childhood you had. Your parents seemed down to earth. I recall having a lot of fun as a child – how carefree life is when young.
We celebrated Thanksgiving at our church last Sunday. Church members were given the opportunity to give thanks for the blessings in 2016. It was a wonderful occasion.
Phoenicia, I love that Thanksgiving gets celebrated in its many ways around the world. One more great way to bring us together as people rather than separate us by whatever.
In your photos, it looks like you are doing your best to have fun childhoods for your kids. My parents were so humorous that we were bound to wind up with more good memories than bad.
I always felt sorry for the kid. The father as they say, reaped what he sowed.
He ignored his son, and hence his son will ignore him.
It is important we appreciate our family, I had the best parents in the world, and I miss them every minute of every day.
It is a time to be thankful for what we have, and had.
Me, too, William. On both sides of things, the son missed out. I’m glad that you and I both had the best parents we could have. That is a treasure to always be remembered.
Hi Rose. Stopping by from Bloggers Helping Bloggers on LinkedIn. Thanks for sharing a timely and thoughtful post with Thanksgiving tomorrow! I remember Cats in the Cradle being played on the local classic radio station repeatedly. What struck me about the song was the sincerity of the lyrics when talking about the family. With that loving relationship, how could you not want to keep those warm memories close to heart?
I’m a long-time member of BHB, Tatia, welcome to the group! The best group of bloggers out there!
You are right about keeping family close–not just at holidays, but always. Life is too short.
Rose Mary, once again you hit the right note. My childhood was very much like yours – no extra money but lots of extra love.
Thanks for sharing this and have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled mostly with laughter as you reminisce.
Hi Rose, your childhood sounds a lot like mine. What good times we had. Even looking back at the sibling tiffs now is a source of laughter. Family is everything. 🙂
Oh yes, Susan! When I read your book, Lessons from an Ordinary Childhood, I could sure identify with your stories.
My siblings and cousins (oh, throw in the aunts and uncles) have so many running jokes that we never stop laughing! Including making fun of each other for childhood spats!
Such wonderful memories Rose Mary! I hope you have a wonderful (safe and warm!) Thanksgiving holiday weekend my friend. 🙂
I wish the same for you, Marquita! Hope you see that snow you were looking forward to.
Wonderful post, Rose. I, too, love that song by Harry Chapin. He was one of my favourite songsters. I envy you coming from a larger family. There was just me and my brother, and he is about 7 years older than me so we had little in common (and still do.) With parents long gone, I REALLY miss the love of a family.
My husband’s only sibling is also 7 years older. I’m lucky he has been accepting of (and accepted by) my family. With over a dozen first cousins just on dad’s side of the family, he has a lot to contend with. HA!
I was remiss in not digging out an old print of Harry. My college beau got us 6th or 7th row seats to Chapin’s one man show. It was memorable!
This is exactly what I needed to read this morning. I miss them so very much.
I’m glad that you needed it, but of course I never like making you sad. I miss them, too.
What lovely memories! I’m glad you had such special people in your life. 🙂
We sure did, Joy. They were characters.
Cats in the Cradle is for me one of the most personally influential songs I know of. It was always playing in my head when I faced work pressures to travel more or spend more time in the office. When I passed up on a late night of working then going out drinking with colleagues it was playing in my head as I took the train home to have dinner with my family. The line that stayed with me beyond all others was “He learned to walk while I was away.”
I am SO glad to hear that, Ken. All these decades, I wondered how many parents (or aunts and uncles) were influenced to behave differently with their children because of Chapin’s words.