Days in the life of the Hays: Ruby Lucille King

November 11, 1927 - August 14, 2013

Memories of having my hair being washed in the kitchen sink, eating warm biscuits with homemade berry jelly and cream, playing with wooden spools under a quilt on a quilting frame and shucking corn on the back porch while listening to stories from the past. Stumping my toe and having alcohol poured on it, and blow, blow, blow!! So it wouldn’t hurt so bad. Eating a veggie lunch with fried cornbread followed up by dessert, any kind of dessert, but there was always a dessert! Getting off the school bus, busting through the front door to hear “Here comes Grandma’s Darlings” and finding a snack waiting just for me. And then eating it in the living room close to the window a/c unit b/c the kitchen was too hot. Sitting in church and listening to that beautiful, unique voice sing “There is Power in the Blood.” Listening to books being read, advice being given, and tears being shed. Snapping green beans and shelling peas to be put up for the winter. Planting the garden just right, spacing the seeds about this “far” apart and maybe not quite that “far” and only put a few seeds in the trench but maybe a few more than two. Digging potatoes and putting them in the barn. Driving home from softball practice to grab a cold glass of sweet tea and sitting on the front porch rocking chair to talk about our day. Standing on the basketball court or the softball field and knowing that if I couldn’t find that familiar face in the crowd, the radio would be on at home with ears listening intently to each and every game.

Going to college and getting mail with cookies or a couple of dollars to go get a special treat. And there was always a note, and it was always signed – With All My Love. Making a long distance call, just to hear that special voice reassure me that I was not alone in this world or just to talk and know someone was listening. Coming home for the summer and doing a lot of talking and wishing and hoping while sitting on the front porch. And doing a lot of listening, thinking, and praying in return. Making that special call to say I was engaged and getting the response of “You are so happy and so am I.” Holding a quilt, made just for me at my wedding shower and knowing it took a lot of time, patience and determination to give that gift to me. A long, long hug on my wedding day with a smile of pure happiness and knowing it was b/c I was so happy.

Holding my daughters and singing Bye-O-Baby as they drifted off to sleep. Teaching Carli to walk and cheering and laughing the whole time. Never forgetting a birthday, never. Sitting and listening to the wisdom of motherhood from long ago. Getting a lot of advice and then hearing, “But now, that’s just what we did back then, I’m sure you will handle it just fine.” Watching, just watching with a smile on my face knowing that the influence on my children would be one that would be priceless, irreplaceable and held close to our hearts forever because the influence on me I already know is just that. Thanking God, knowing how blessed we all are.

My Grandma was so amazingly humble, she probably never had the slightest idea about the memories she helped make that will be treasured forever. I could write so much more. I could tell you why in high school, she was one of my best friends. Why I would have preferred to spending a Friday night watching Wheel of Fortune with her and Pawpaw instead of hang out with other friends. I could tell you what an amazing listener she was and about all the awesome advice she shared. I could tell you about the lives of my friends she touched who still talk about “That time at your Grandma’s house.” I could tell you about Grandma with my girls. I could go on and on and on. But if I had to pick just one thing to tell you about my Grandma, it’s that she worked her whole life living for the Lord. She studied, she taught Bible classes, she sang worship songs and she prayed. She was one of the most beautiful souls I have ever known both physically and spiritually. I pray that I can be the mother, friend, mentor and child of God she was because she was the epitome of a Christian woman. She was the rock of our family. She was strong. She was beautiful. She was one of the best friends I have ever had. She was mine. And I can never put into words how much I miss her already.