Week 1

Nature


The sun beamed down on us as we sat and slowly rocked on the swing. The driveway pavement was warm under my bare feet, and the breeze was just enough to keep me cooled off. It had been rainy the past couple of days so the heat felt good on our skin. My grandmother to my left was silently sitting, gazing around and once and a while closing her eyes to give them a rest. Under one of the poles that held up the swing, hornets buzzed in and out of the hollow pole, venturing up to their nest. "Don't bother them and they won't bother you," my Gram kept saying as I would flinch out of nervousness when they'd come close. The sky above us was bright blue and the clouds were slowly moving, giving us enough time to respect the unique shapes of every single one.

Keeping my eyes on the hornets around us, I did not see the Eagle flying above, until my Gram said something. "There's an Eagle right above your Fathers house," she whispered. We both watched as it flew above us, slowly flapping it's wings and circling in the same area over and over again.
"They are always around here.. it's a good thing none of the neighbors have small dogs, never know what those birds are going to do."
I take what my Gram says into consideration and thank God I left my four pound dog at my Mom's house.

With my Grandmother's health deteriorating, every minute I get with her I respect the atmosphere and her so much more than usual. We were granted a beautiful day to sit on the swing together, in silence we both appreciate the life we have been given. The grass, a vibrant shade of green was slowly swaying in the wind and my Dad's dog had found a shady spot under the porch to lay down and cool off.

I peer over at my Gram as she is slowly falling sleep, her recent visits to the emergency room and ICU had left her exhausted.
"You don't have to stay out here with me Gram."
She slowly opens her eyes and gives me a little grin,
"I know honey, I'll probably go inside soon, Gram is getting tired.. used all my energy today and it's only twelve in the afternoon."
She sighs and musters up enough energy to get up off the swing. I stand up and put my arms around her, trying not to tear up.

The sunshine can bring so much life to situations in many different ways.. I kiss my Gram on the cheek and feel her warm skin against mine. We say I love you and I watch her make her way into the house. Her little white slippers slowly dragging across the pavement. She finds her way inside and I sit back down on the swing.

The hornets continue to fly around me, the breeze continues to blow and the sun does not stop shining. I rest my feet back on the pavement and place my head on the back of the swing and close my eyes and slowly let the sun and breeze put me to sleep.