The Marble Track

Every year, when I was growing up, we would spend our vacation in California at my dad's parent's house. They were known as Mom-mom and Papa to us. My cousins never called them that but they would sign letters and cards to us with those names. I guess Sarah started calling them that when she was little and it stuck for the rest of us too.

Among the many wonderful things there were to explore and do at their house was a wooden marble track. Along with it was a metal coffee or cracker tin filled with marbles. We would spend hours playing with that marble track. It was as much a part of the experience at Mom-mom and Papa's house as Mom-mom and Papa themselves. When Mom-mom and Papa both passed away, that marble track was desired by everyone. So, my aunt had someone make copies of the track so each of my dad's siblings could have one.

Now, whenever my kids go to my parent's house they find a wooden marble track and that same tin of marbles and once again, they spend hours watching those marble go back and forth down the track. I love that my kids will have some of the same memories of their grandparents as I do of mine.

When I wrote this, I didn't realize that today was Papa's birthday. My dad sent an email reminding us. It is touching to me to realize that I was thinking about my grandpa on his birthday before I even knew it was. I love him and miss him!