New Era

Posts Tagged ‘Grandson’

President Obama’s Apron

For All Who Had a Grandmother like– Barack

Today we look forward to a New Era, the current password to “Hope” offered by a man in the seat of power. What makes him who he is that we believe we can become better at who we are?

The Apron.

Barack Obama suffered great loss when his beloved Grandmother Madelyn Dunham died of cancer October ‘08 at age 86.

Happy times for Barack were when encased in his grandmother’s arms, enjoying her cooking, or hiding behind her apron.

Today an apron is mostly to display a phrase like “Kiss the Cook” but during Barack’s early years such was not the case.

Madelyn’s apron was required to avoid soiling her dresses of which there were few. Any money she could spare went to Barack’s schooling rather then her wardrobe. Since clothing seldom wears out as fast as it washes out when scrubbed, Mrs. Dunham relied on her aprons.

Hers like most did double duty as pot holders when necessary to handle hot pans.

Aprons popular in Barack’s younger days were used by some to carry vegetables from the garden, eggs from the chicken coup.

When Madelyn was cold her apron served as a arm-wrap to warm herself.

When she perspired bent over the stove that apron handily served as a hankie to wipe her brow.

Neighbors with fire places used theirs to carry kindling wood inside. In the fall Marelyn’s apron carried fruit to the kitchen, corn husks to the trash can.

When company arrived that Barack wasn’t expecting he hid his surprise along with sometimes his shyness, behind Madelyn’s apron. Such company never entered a room layered in dust mites, the apron took care of that too.

When it was time to call Barack into the house Madelyn could go to the doorway and wave her apron. He knew it meant, “Come inside now.”

A shelter for a child or corner of fabric to wipe out his ears were only few of many tasks  Madelyn’s apron preformed. She never suspected she was on occasion wiping a tear from her grandson’s eyes– he one day President of the United States, “Leader of the Free World”.

© Strasbaugh