When I was a little girl, my grandmother passed away. I had a step-grandmother, although it never occurred to me to call her that. I simply called her by name: Audrey. I loved her.
I think it’s safe to say that I was willing and ready to give love to people, when I was a child. I suppose that’s on the spectrum with my current choice to believe the best of others, unless they prove me wrong.
Audrey was a greeting card expert. Every holiday or occasion was marked with a greeting card. But these weren’t just any greeting cards, oh, no. They were Sandra Boynton greeting cards.
For about a year, I received cats in varying states of adventure or distress. Later, there were solemn dogs, with their wavy ears. As I grew older, the greeting cards ceased. I think Audrey outlived my grandfather, but she didn’t live forever.
I have always been a poor correspondent. Email is the perfect thing for me: a quick moment to say, ‘Hey, I’m thinking of you’ without having to remember what the darn postage to Canada is, and if it increased. Those little greeting cards smoothed over the rough edges of my communications.
I think of my loved ones far more often than I ever tell them, which is a mixed bag. It’s a sad thing that I live in my head so much that the voice can get rusty. But living in my head and heart has always been my comfort zone. No need to ever feel homesick when you are your sense of home, right?
Then, I had children. And I discovered that Sandra Boynton wrote children’s board books. I made up melodies to sing some of the stories, my daughter clapping along with her serious little face. I acted out zoo animals charging around getting ready for bed to help my son – who sees sleep as a mortal enemy – crawl into bed with smiles. Sandra Boynton to the rescue, every time.
I felt I could channel Audrey with those books.
2 weeks ago, I found Sandra Boynton’s facebook page. Now, when I log in, I feel like I’m getting one of those greeting cards: just a couple of lines dashed off, with a lot of love inside.
Plus, no one makes a cuter animal than Sandra Boynton. No one.
Blessings to you all.
If you need to feel like you’ve had a giggle and a hug (similar to a bushel and a peck), visit her facebook page: