I wobbled out of my house on a warm, sunny day in central Illinois and clambered into the car. My parents, younger sister, and I traveled to Indiana to visit my great grandparents, Gray Gay and Paw Paw, at least once a month. Around four or five years old, visiting family, especially my grandparents, was a trip I was always looking forward to. Paw Paw became a representation of safety and protection to me as I became older and I learned why he'd received the nickname Boss Charlie. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was young and I never had the chance to truly know him. Thankfully, his children, grandchildren, and wife, never hesitated to tell me anything about him I wanted to know.
In my mind, Gray Gay was the nicest lady I'd ever met; love just radiated from her. Gray Gay and Paw Paw's home was always warm and welcoming. Every holiday trip we took, at some point we ended up at their house. I distinctly remember walking into her house through the back door and hearing her say, "There's Gray Gay's angel!" After greeting her, my sister Mikayla and I, would dash into the kitchen where we knew some delicious homemade dish was waiting for us. Gray Gay represented pure good to me-- she could never do anything wrong in my eyes. She loved us all unconditionally.
It's been said that the home is an extension of the self. That is especially true for my grandparent's old house as somehow, it represented the strongest aspects of both of their personalities. It possessed a sort of elegance that communicated sophistication and class while still maintaining an air of openness and invitation. I came to view the home as a family staple-- I never thought any other family would own it but mine. It was protection, love, and peace all in one. Seeing family at their house was never a question, but was expected. There was always food, family, and fun within those walls, and nothing ever went wrong. Going to her house meant being with my family, and time spent with my family is what I cherish the most.
As little kids, my cousins and I always ran around the house and without fail, Boss Charlie would jump out from around a corner and say "Now you stop all that running before you hurt yourself!" Of course, not understanding the situation then, I would get upset with him, but now I know he was only trying to keep us safe. My cousins and I just saw running around as a fun game, never considering the consequences-- and thankfully we didn't have to, because Paw Paw already had that covered.
Out of the many things in this world that amaze me, my great grandparent's home will forever be one of them. It captured the character of both of these amazing people-- the comfort radiating from Gray Gay and the protection Paw Paw provided. To me it will always bring back memories of holiday family gatherings, food no other woman could cook like my Gray Gay, and a feeling of safety granted from the man who is Boss Charlie. My great grandparents and their home have claimed a majority of my childhood memories that I'll hold on to forever. After the home was no longer in the family, I came to realize that yes, even though the home had become so important to a lot of my family members, the people were the real reason the home became what it was to our family. The true value of a house is not the house itself, but the people who turn it into a home.
