Love During Harvest

I rank the Super Harvest Moon as one of the most romantic moons we can see in the sky.

When I was twelve years old my grandfather, my mother’s father, agreed to go to a Daddy-Daughter dinner at church with me. My parents had been divorced for several years and Dad didn’t want to go to any church at that time. I was so excited that Gran-Gran, my grandfather, volunteered.

Mom made me a beautiful pastel pink dress. It had a high collar, six inch cuffs, a large ruffle at the bottom and covered with white lace. She also let me borrow her pink pearl beaded ring. Alyssa will love to know that I was wearing black, shiny patent leather shoes. Shocked you didn’t I? I know, it isn’t shocking at all. I still love black patent leather.

Gran-Gran brought me a beautiful pink and white corsage to wear. I still have the dried flowers.

Anyway, Gran-Gran was a charming man and everyone made him feel welcome. After eating a lovely spaghetti dinner, salad and garlic bread, we all sat in a big circle and played a game called, “I See The Moon.”

One of the women drew an imaginary moon on the floor with her finger while saying, “I see the moon and the moon sees me.” The next person was supposed to copy her moon drawing. One person after the next attempted to “win” and each time she would say, “No, that isn’t right.”

My grandfather was about to leap out of his chair. I could tell that he knew some secret as to why everyone was getting it wrong.

That didn’t surprise me.

Not only did Gran-Gran love, love, love playing games, but he was also a really smart man.

Finally it was his turn, so Gran-Gran leaned over EXACTLY like the woman, drew the moon EXACTLY like the woman and then sat up and folded his hands EXACTLY like her too.

Everyone looked at this woman as she said, “Yes, you won.”

The secret was that you couldn’t just draw the moon the same, you had to completely mimic the woman’s movements as well. Obviously, Gran-Gran figured this out.

He was so excited, clapping his hands, smiling big and eating up all the attention. I was so proud to have him as my grandfather. I already loved him so much, but this has become the most precious time we spent together.

That night when we went back home, Gran-Gran had to play the same game with Mom and Mam-Maw. Both of them hate games which makes that really funny to me now. He talked and talked about how much fun he had with me.

So last night as I stared up at the big Super Harvest Moon, one of my thoughts was of Gran-Gran and the beautiful memory from that night so long ago when he made a gawky, insecure girl feel as beautiful as Cinderella.

Many people associate the moon with a great emotion that they feel for someone else. Maybe that is what makes the moon so pink and red sometimes…it is just bursting with love.

Basking in the glow of lovely memories,