Five Minute Friday: Blue

This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt is on the word blue.

I have to admit, that this prompt was hard. First, because writing about the word blue is just hard, ya’ll. And second…when I finally knew what to write about it was an emotionally difficult topic. Never a day goes by that I don’t think of my grandpa…with his soft blue eyes. He was special. So very, very special.

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Blue

Start:

Blue were the color of your eyes as you sang “The Gambler” to me to lull me to sleep at night.

Blue was the shade of the hat you used to wear when you’d sweep the deck…over and over because the lake house had so many trees that gifted you with their leaves.

Blue trim hugged the edges of my Miss Piggy swimsuit. The one you used to say was your favorite.

Blue was the color of my room back home. That place I’d return to every Sunday night after visiting you.

Blue was how I felt when I was away from you…

You were my favorite, you know. So encouraging to me as I grew into a young woman. You were never angry with me. At least you didn’t show it. I knew just how much you loved me by the way you spoke life into me.

Always smiling. Except when I’d make crazy concoctions in the kitchen that you’d have to clean up. I was good at that, wasn’t I?

You told me you were proud of me. You told me a lot. I miss that now…more than you’ll ever know.

It’s been years now since you went to be with Him. Almost ten now, is it?

Sadness falls over me when I think of it. Never to see your blue eyes again here on earth. Never to hear your voice singing to me.

But someone else has your blue eyes now. A little boy in the mix of our three little girls. How I think of you when I see those eyes and am grateful God gave them to another. …you’d love him, you know. He has a heart like yours.

You were “Jake” to many. “Blue eyes” to others. But to me…you were just “Grandpa.”

And I’ll never forget you.

Stop.

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Won’t you join me this week for Five Minute Friday over at Kate Motaung’s page? We’d love to see you there! Just familiarize yourself with this page first, no editing, and set your watch for five minutes.

20 Comments

Tara on 28 May, 2015 at 10:24 pm

Jen, love this! Grandpas are so very special. I miss mine too. He’s been gone more than ten years too.

Jennifer on 28 May, 2015 at 11:06 pm

Thank you so much, Tara. I know I’ll see him again… But I sure miss him.
Reply

Liz on 28 May, 2015 at 10:26 pm

Thank you for sharing your memories of your grandfather with us. My son also has blue eyes. I hope you have a lovely weekend.

Jennifer on 28 May, 2015 at 11:05 pm

Thank you, Liz! Those blue eyes are hard to say no to, sometimes. 😉
Reply

aschmeisser on 28 May, 2015 at 10:38 pm

He was proud of you then. Betting he’s even more proud of you now.

Lovely tribute.

Here from FMF.

Jennifer on 28 May, 2015 at 11:05 pm

Thank you Andrew!
Reply

Marie on 28 May, 2015 at 11:43 pm

So nice, my friend. So, so nice. Cherish those memories.

Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:53 pm

Thank you, Marie!
Reply

Anita Ojeda on 29 May, 2015 at 7:51 am

Sniff. I, too, had a blue-eyed grandpa who I lost when I was ten. Blue eyes always makes me think of his booming laughter and his tender heart. Thank you for sharing your grandpa with us!

Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:51 pm

You are so welcome, Anita!
Reply

Tiffany Parry on 29 May, 2015 at 12:17 pm

So, so sweet, Jenn. You made me think of my grandpa and the stories he used to tell me, how he would swoop in and pick me up from school when my mom was late, how he always snuck me treats when my she wasn’t looking. Thanks for unwinding my highlight reel today with your own memories. xoxo

Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:51 pm

Awe, thank you Tiffany. You’re welcome! 😉
Reply

kortneystanis on 29 May, 2015 at 2:18 pm

What a blessing to have such sweet memories of your grandpa! This is beautifully written Jennifer.

Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:50 pm

Thank you, Kortney!
Reply

Tasha Medellin on 29 May, 2015 at 2:25 pm

Jennifer, you made me cry! This is so beautiful. It reminds me of my granddad and how much he would love seeing my kids at the river place he bought years ago. 🙂 It’s amazing to me how the word “blue” took writers in so many different wonderful directions. Blessings from your FMF friend, Tasha

Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:50 pm

Thank you, Tasha. I almost decided not to write about this, but it just seemed right.
Reply

Karrilee Aggett on 29 May, 2015 at 8:06 pm

What a touching and lovely tribute! And what a legacy and an inheritance you have, my friend!

Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:51 pm

Thank you, friend!
Reply

joanneviola on 30 May, 2015 at 6:06 am

What a beautiful & touching post! You have been blessed with memories which are such a blessing. May they always comfort you when you miss him.

Holly Barrett on 30 May, 2015 at 7:26 am

Love this post, Jennifer! What sweet memories. Reminds me of my beloved grandmother who died 8 years ago. I was her only granddaughter and named after her too. She always loved me unconditionally. And I was blessed to have her well into my 40’s!!

Tara on 28 May, 2015 at 10:24 pm

Jen, love this! Grandpas are so very special. I miss mine too. He’s been gone more than ten years too.
- Jennifer on 28 May, 2015 at 11:06 pm
  
  Thank you so much, Tara. I know I’ll see him again… But I sure miss him.
Liz on 28 May, 2015 at 10:26 pm

Thank you for sharing your memories of your grandfather with us. My son also has blue eyes. I hope you have a lovely weekend.
- Jennifer on 28 May, 2015 at 11:05 pm
  
  Thank you, Liz! Those blue eyes are hard to say no to, sometimes. 😉
aschmeisser on 28 May, 2015 at 10:38 pm

He was proud of you then. Betting he’s even more proud of you now.

Lovely tribute.

Here from FMF.
- Jennifer on 28 May, 2015 at 11:05 pm
  
  Thank you Andrew!
Marie on 28 May, 2015 at 11:43 pm

So nice, my friend. So, so nice. Cherish those memories.
- Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:53 pm
  
  Thank you, Marie!
Anita Ojeda on 29 May, 2015 at 7:51 am

Sniff. I, too, had a blue-eyed grandpa who I lost when I was ten. Blue eyes always makes me think of his booming laughter and his tender heart. Thank you for sharing your grandpa with us!
- Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:51 pm
  
  You are so welcome, Anita!
Tiffany Parry on 29 May, 2015 at 12:17 pm

So, so sweet, Jenn. You made me think of my grandpa and the stories he used to tell me, how he would swoop in and pick me up from school when my mom was late, how he always snuck me treats when my she wasn’t looking. Thanks for unwinding my highlight reel today with your own memories. xoxo
- Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:51 pm
  
  Awe, thank you Tiffany. You’re welcome! 😉
kortneystanis on 29 May, 2015 at 2:18 pm

What a blessing to have such sweet memories of your grandpa! This is beautifully written Jennifer.
- Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:50 pm
  
  Thank you, Kortney!
Tasha Medellin on 29 May, 2015 at 2:25 pm

Jennifer, you made me cry! This is so beautiful. It reminds me of my granddad and how much he would love seeing my kids at the river place he bought years ago. 🙂 It’s amazing to me how the word “blue” took writers in so many different wonderful directions. Blessings from your FMF friend, Tasha
- Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:50 pm
  
  Thank you, Tasha. I almost decided not to write about this, but it just seemed right.
Karrilee Aggett on 29 May, 2015 at 8:06 pm

What a touching and lovely tribute! And what a legacy and an inheritance you have, my friend!
- Jennifer on 29 May, 2015 at 9:51 pm
  
  Thank you, friend!
joanneviola on 30 May, 2015 at 6:06 am

What a beautiful & touching post! You have been blessed with memories which are such a blessing. May they always comfort you when you miss him.
Holly Barrett on 30 May, 2015 at 7:26 am

Love this post, Jennifer! What sweet memories. Reminds me of my beloved grandmother who died 8 years ago. I was her only granddaughter and named after her too. She always loved me unconditionally. And I was blessed to have her well into my 40’s!!