When I was about 8 years old, I lived in the high desert
in Southern California. We had 5 acres
of land, most of it a field. Aunt Margaret and Uncle Jimmy lived on the other
side of the field, about a mile away.
We were pretty close and liked to spend time together. I had a pony named Frosty and I rode him
across the field to their house every week.
Aunt Margaret taught me how to play Canasta. We played every week for about 2 years until they moved.
Not only did I learn how to
play Canasta, I got to spend time with Aunt Margaret. She taught me how to be a “good loser” by
saying, “if you’re gonna cry, I’m not going to play with you.” I really wanted to play, so I sniffled, blew
my nose, and stopped crying. In other
words, it worked. Now I enjoy the game
and Aunt Margaret and I have a good relationship as adults. And, of course,
good memories from some 40+ years ago.
It
didn’t take a lot, but Aunt Margaret’s spending time with me on a regular
basis, made an impact on me and is a special memory I cherish.
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