Thursday, August 30, 2012

Sydney Logan Week 10: Childhood Memories

Picture 1


Picture 2


Sydney Logan’s Picture Choice: 1

Title: Childhood Memories

When I was a kid, my grandfather owned a country store. It was one of those old-fashioned mom-and-pop places where you could buy just about anything. As a young girl, I can remember stocking the shelves with everything from loaves of bread to quarts of oil. It was the only store for twenty miles, and my grandfather prided himself on offering our little mountain community a place to shop.

Now, it’s thirty years later. My grandfather has long since passed away. The store is still here--owned and operated by a sweet couple who’d retired to the country nearly a decade ago. Of course, the store looks a little different now, but as I step onto the wooden porch, I can’t help but smile, because I see that they’ve kept my favorite little piece of the store.

The Coke cooler.

My grandpa used to joke that I was going to fall in head-first as I struggled to reach into the freezer for a bottle, but I’d been a stubborn child and refused anyone’s help. With my legs dangling in the air, I’d grab a bottle and open it with the can opener carved into the front of the freezer.

Today, that same cooler is being used as nothing more than a prop.

But, as it sits proudly on the porch, I can’t help but be consumed with memories and thankfulness.

I learned so much in this store.

I learned to be kind.

I learned to be helpful.

I learned to enjoy the little things...like drinking an ice-cold Coke from a freezer.

And today, I’m still learning.

I’m learning that the simplest of childhood memories can still make you cry.

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Sydney Logan lives in Tennessee with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat. Her debut novel, Lessons Learned, will be released in September. Please visit her website at www.sydneylogan.com.

#DailyPicspiration

4 comments:

  1. Reminds me of my grandparents and their acreage. I still have them, thankfully, but their house has been sold. :(

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  2. Such a sweet and poignant little story about remembering where you came from & to be thankful for those times & the people who meant so much to you then & now. Lovely

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  3. Awww... *sniff* What a sweet story, Sydney.

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  4. You took a beautiful picture and paired it with such a poignant story. Lovely repetition at the end, really zeroing in on the touching quality of this.

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