Page 36 - Summer 2019 - Lubbock Senior Link Magazine - Online Magazine

HONORING SENIORS

Learning from

Clara by Joyce Herron

I spend a great deal of time at The her. However, she had
Porch Swing, an assisted-living great respect for her
home. The more I am around older grandfather. The family
seniors, the more I realize how had eight daughters
much I can learn from them. Their and one son, although
childhoods sound like pages from most of them were
a history book. My dad always said grown when she and
to us, “Profit from others’ mistakes. her mother moved in.
You won’t live long enough to She has a picture of
make them all yourself.“ Last week, the home he built in
I sat around the table with a few Tennessee in 1884. She
ladies and realized I was listening remembered well that
to the wisdom of over 500 years of “He only used the best 4. Don’t sleep in
experience. materials.” The house church.
had thirteen rooms with
Clara Byers shared three fireplaces upstairs Her sharp mind
a little of her and three fireplaces easily remembers
96-year-long downstairs. Clara knew and reveals
history. Her that he had actually glimpses of her
mother and once owned a slave girl childhood a
father divorced who helped take care lifetime ago:
when she was of the children. But “he
three years was very kind to her, The whole family
old, and she and when she was freed, ate together every
and her mother she wanted to stay with Sunday, and the
moved in with the family.” little children sat at the corners of
her grandparents the table.
and her aunt. Clara had no siblings, but she
Her biological followed the same strict but simple Her grandfather always told her
dad was an rules her grandparents had used to aunt to buy extra material so there
alcoholic who maintain order in their large family: would be enough for a dress for
had threatened Clara. Her aunt always made it
to kidnap her, 1. Always obey. extra long, so she could grow into
and she lived it. That led to her school nickname -
in fear that he 2. Tell the truth. “Long-Tailed Nanni”.
might come find
3. Mind your manners.

36 Lubbock Senior Link