The Shadows in Our Home

The Shadows in Our Home

were cast by my mother’s younger brothers–
Dale, Danny, and Junior. I was aware that all three
had lost their lives during the war. Mom didn’t talk about
those stories, but she did talk about when they were kids
during the Great Depression. Their pictures in uniform,
along with her two older brothers in uniform and with
their wives sat on bookshelves sometimes. Sometimes
Mom put them away, when the shadows began
to overwhelm her again, attempting to drag her
into a dark place. They weren’t in sight but
their shadows still lingered.

This is in one of the chapters of Meadowlark Songs: A Motherline Legacy, due out later this year.