Post by melindajo2000 on Oct 16, 2010 22:04:09 GMT -6
This made me a little teary eyed writing it and I hope you like it.
Today was the day no one had ever thought they would see. Today was the day everyone was lying to rest Miss Ellie Southworth Ewing Farlow, the grand dame of Dallas and of Southfork. Thankfully she had went peacefully and in her sleep of natural causes, the way she had wanted to, but still it was a tragedy of great magnitude. JR and Bobby had talked about it, and they had decided that she had wanted to be with Jock, though they dared not share their theory with Clayton. Even JR had to admit that she had found happiness in her final years with the man that he despised, though he would never tell him that. As long as she was happy then he would be too, and that was all that mattered in the end. Still, this was the day no one had ever imagined would come. She was so vital, so full of life, the beloved woman of Dallas. This would be the hardest thing that Bobby and JR and Gary would ever have to do.
As family and friends gathered around for one of the largest turnouts for a memorial service that Texas had ever seen, everyone stopped to gather their thoughts.
“Bobby, I can’t do this. I really refuse to do this,” JR lamented.
“Come on JR. Mama’s counting on you to pull through this. You’re her oldest boy. She needs you to set the example.”
“I for one don’t want to go in there. I don’t want to face everyone,” Gary added.
“That’s typical of you-always wanting to hide from your problems,” JR replied sarcastically.
“Shut up JR. You know how much Mama loved Gary and the last thing she would want is for you to disrespect him now.”
“That’s right. Always a mama’s boy. Too bad you couldn’t have come around now. Maybe if you would have come around more…”
Gary and Bobby stared at JR, not believing his cruelty. They knew he was hurting but to take it out on Gary was unbelievable.
“JR you know how much I wanted to be here for Mama. I refuse to do this now. She is counting on us to make this a perfect day. If you can’t put our differences aside then I will. With Mama and Daddy gone now it’s up to you to grow up and act like the man they always wanted you to be. What will it take for you to step up to the plate?” Gary asked.
JR didn’t even look at him as he walked away, ready to take his place.
The service began with the minister reading Psalm 23 and saying some lovely words. Lucy started to cry and Sue Ellen held her in comfort. Clayton walked up to the podium to speak.
“Ellie and I found each other at a special time in each other’s life. Neither of us were looking for love; it found us. In each other we found friendship, companionship and respect. We overcame a lot of obstacles to be together but it was well worth it. I took on a lot of challenges to become her partner, and it wasn’t easy, but I was proud to call her my wife. I consulted her on all of the major decisions in my life, and I would like to say that she did the same for me. But she was a very independent woman, and that is one of the reasons I loved her. She had grace and style and dignity, and for that I’m thankful she didn’t suffer. I will always remember her for the caring family woman she was. Family always came first with her. No matter how many hardships she went through, her family was the most important thing in her life, and that is how she would like to be remembered. She loved her children and grandchildren above all and she cherished her land. No one dared crossed her family and got away with it. She valued the time with her family and no one could put a price on it. Ellie was happiest with her family and it showed in everything she did. She passed away far too young, but she went on her terms and at the place she loved most on earth, and for that I’ll be eternally grateful.”
He sat down, and Gary stood up next. “My mama and I had a special relationship. We had an understanding. We had a love of the land, even though I wasn’t always around. She got what made me me, and she never judged me. She loved me in spite of my faults, and she always stood by me. I always got the feeling that she was proud of me. She didn’t always approve of my actions, but she always loved me unconditionally. Taking care of my daughter Lucy was a full time job, and she did that without fail. She did that without question and for that I’ll be eternity grateful. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without my mama. I have stumbled and I have fallen, but I have always picked myself back up and it’s because of my mama that I have been able to do so. Without a doubt there is a special place in heaven reserved for ladies such as herself. God bless you Mama, wherever you are.
By this time there was not a dry eye in the house, except for JR, who was listening intensely to every word everyone had to say. Bobby got up to speak next.
“Mama was the greatest lady I have ever known. She was a lady in every sense of the word. She was full of grace and kindness and love. She represented peace and harmony. She didn’t believe in hatred or revenge. She believed in the best revenge was by living well, and she did that every day of her life. She taught me so many things. She taught me to work hard and play well. She taught me to always play by the rules. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am if it weren’t for her. I think I’m a pretty happy man; she also taught me that. She was a gentle woman, but you wouldn’t have wanted to cross her. She didn’t have an enemy in the world. No one I have ever met had an unkind word to say about her. If you met her you would always remember her. She was a wonderful mother and even better grandmother. She lived for her grandchildren. She always treated Christopher so well, he loved her as did John Ross. I will always love her and miss her for the rest of my days.”
As he sat down, he looked at JR wondering what he was going to say. JR took his place, looking at everyone. He couldn’t speak for a minute. He looked at Lucy, then at Clayton, then at Bobby, then at Gary.
“I know it was easy for all of you to come here today. You all loved her. She was an easy person to love. She treated you all so well. She never knew a stranger. As a child I resented that. I sometimes thought she treated you better than she treated me. She had so many expectations of me. She wanted me to succeed so much that she pushed me, much more than she did Bobby or Gary. I always knew that I wanted to follow in my daddy’s footsteps and I think that she sensed that too. That’s probably why she pushed as hard as she did. I now know why she did it. She did it because she loved me. That’s why I push John Ross as hard as I do. That’s what being a parent is all about- believing in your child and loving him no matter what his faults are. Lord knows I have mine. I sometimes wondered if she saw mine because she often overlooked them. I thought I could get away with anything. But I know now that she wasn’t blind. She turned the other way because she loved me. She was a forgiving woman, though why she forgave me Lord knows why. Other parents would have disowned me a long time ago. I did a lot of rotten things. I jeopardized Southfork, the thing she loved best in this world next to her children. Yet she always welcomed me home. I don’t understand that..” he began to choke up.
“I wish I was half the person she was. Gary, I know I’ve been hard on you. You have every right to hate me. I’ve been a rotten brother. But I always resented what you and Mama had. I never understood it. But I hope one day we can begin again. I think that’s what I can do to make Mama proud.”
Gary nodded, thinking this day would never come. As the music began to play, everyone looked at the photo of Miss Ellie and thought of the memories they would have of her. She was more than a legend. She was a mother, a grandmother, a friend, a neighbor, a wife- she was the treasure of Texas, and she would never be forgotten.
The end
Today was the day no one had ever thought they would see. Today was the day everyone was lying to rest Miss Ellie Southworth Ewing Farlow, the grand dame of Dallas and of Southfork. Thankfully she had went peacefully and in her sleep of natural causes, the way she had wanted to, but still it was a tragedy of great magnitude. JR and Bobby had talked about it, and they had decided that she had wanted to be with Jock, though they dared not share their theory with Clayton. Even JR had to admit that she had found happiness in her final years with the man that he despised, though he would never tell him that. As long as she was happy then he would be too, and that was all that mattered in the end. Still, this was the day no one had ever imagined would come. She was so vital, so full of life, the beloved woman of Dallas. This would be the hardest thing that Bobby and JR and Gary would ever have to do.
As family and friends gathered around for one of the largest turnouts for a memorial service that Texas had ever seen, everyone stopped to gather their thoughts.
“Bobby, I can’t do this. I really refuse to do this,” JR lamented.
“Come on JR. Mama’s counting on you to pull through this. You’re her oldest boy. She needs you to set the example.”
“I for one don’t want to go in there. I don’t want to face everyone,” Gary added.
“That’s typical of you-always wanting to hide from your problems,” JR replied sarcastically.
“Shut up JR. You know how much Mama loved Gary and the last thing she would want is for you to disrespect him now.”
“That’s right. Always a mama’s boy. Too bad you couldn’t have come around now. Maybe if you would have come around more…”
Gary and Bobby stared at JR, not believing his cruelty. They knew he was hurting but to take it out on Gary was unbelievable.
“JR you know how much I wanted to be here for Mama. I refuse to do this now. She is counting on us to make this a perfect day. If you can’t put our differences aside then I will. With Mama and Daddy gone now it’s up to you to grow up and act like the man they always wanted you to be. What will it take for you to step up to the plate?” Gary asked.
JR didn’t even look at him as he walked away, ready to take his place.
The service began with the minister reading Psalm 23 and saying some lovely words. Lucy started to cry and Sue Ellen held her in comfort. Clayton walked up to the podium to speak.
“Ellie and I found each other at a special time in each other’s life. Neither of us were looking for love; it found us. In each other we found friendship, companionship and respect. We overcame a lot of obstacles to be together but it was well worth it. I took on a lot of challenges to become her partner, and it wasn’t easy, but I was proud to call her my wife. I consulted her on all of the major decisions in my life, and I would like to say that she did the same for me. But she was a very independent woman, and that is one of the reasons I loved her. She had grace and style and dignity, and for that I’m thankful she didn’t suffer. I will always remember her for the caring family woman she was. Family always came first with her. No matter how many hardships she went through, her family was the most important thing in her life, and that is how she would like to be remembered. She loved her children and grandchildren above all and she cherished her land. No one dared crossed her family and got away with it. She valued the time with her family and no one could put a price on it. Ellie was happiest with her family and it showed in everything she did. She passed away far too young, but she went on her terms and at the place she loved most on earth, and for that I’ll be eternally grateful.”
He sat down, and Gary stood up next. “My mama and I had a special relationship. We had an understanding. We had a love of the land, even though I wasn’t always around. She got what made me me, and she never judged me. She loved me in spite of my faults, and she always stood by me. I always got the feeling that she was proud of me. She didn’t always approve of my actions, but she always loved me unconditionally. Taking care of my daughter Lucy was a full time job, and she did that without fail. She did that without question and for that I’ll be eternity grateful. I wouldn’t be the man I am today without my mama. I have stumbled and I have fallen, but I have always picked myself back up and it’s because of my mama that I have been able to do so. Without a doubt there is a special place in heaven reserved for ladies such as herself. God bless you Mama, wherever you are.
By this time there was not a dry eye in the house, except for JR, who was listening intensely to every word everyone had to say. Bobby got up to speak next.
“Mama was the greatest lady I have ever known. She was a lady in every sense of the word. She was full of grace and kindness and love. She represented peace and harmony. She didn’t believe in hatred or revenge. She believed in the best revenge was by living well, and she did that every day of her life. She taught me so many things. She taught me to work hard and play well. She taught me to always play by the rules. I wouldn’t have gotten to where I am if it weren’t for her. I think I’m a pretty happy man; she also taught me that. She was a gentle woman, but you wouldn’t have wanted to cross her. She didn’t have an enemy in the world. No one I have ever met had an unkind word to say about her. If you met her you would always remember her. She was a wonderful mother and even better grandmother. She lived for her grandchildren. She always treated Christopher so well, he loved her as did John Ross. I will always love her and miss her for the rest of my days.”
As he sat down, he looked at JR wondering what he was going to say. JR took his place, looking at everyone. He couldn’t speak for a minute. He looked at Lucy, then at Clayton, then at Bobby, then at Gary.
“I know it was easy for all of you to come here today. You all loved her. She was an easy person to love. She treated you all so well. She never knew a stranger. As a child I resented that. I sometimes thought she treated you better than she treated me. She had so many expectations of me. She wanted me to succeed so much that she pushed me, much more than she did Bobby or Gary. I always knew that I wanted to follow in my daddy’s footsteps and I think that she sensed that too. That’s probably why she pushed as hard as she did. I now know why she did it. She did it because she loved me. That’s why I push John Ross as hard as I do. That’s what being a parent is all about- believing in your child and loving him no matter what his faults are. Lord knows I have mine. I sometimes wondered if she saw mine because she often overlooked them. I thought I could get away with anything. But I know now that she wasn’t blind. She turned the other way because she loved me. She was a forgiving woman, though why she forgave me Lord knows why. Other parents would have disowned me a long time ago. I did a lot of rotten things. I jeopardized Southfork, the thing she loved best in this world next to her children. Yet she always welcomed me home. I don’t understand that..” he began to choke up.
“I wish I was half the person she was. Gary, I know I’ve been hard on you. You have every right to hate me. I’ve been a rotten brother. But I always resented what you and Mama had. I never understood it. But I hope one day we can begin again. I think that’s what I can do to make Mama proud.”
Gary nodded, thinking this day would never come. As the music began to play, everyone looked at the photo of Miss Ellie and thought of the memories they would have of her. She was more than a legend. She was a mother, a grandmother, a friend, a neighbor, a wife- she was the treasure of Texas, and she would never be forgotten.
The end
