In the late Summer of 1952, we all watched with anticipation as our youngest sister, Joy was preparing to enter college. It was a time of change. We were a little sad that she would no longer be around all the time as she had been for the first seventeen years of her life. But we were mostly very happy for her. She had found her love of teaching as was off to study elementary education at Virginia State University. I will always remember that Sunday afternoon in August. We were all at our parents' house to help Joy finish packing.
August 30, 1952
"I can't believe you're leaving." Erin smiled. "My baby sister is so grown up now."
"Well look at you." Joy smiled. "Married with five kids. Little Richard is so adorable." She was referring to her new nephew who was born the previous month.
"My kids are gonna miss you so much. Just last night, Susan was talking about how much she was gonna miss Auntie Joy."
Joy smiled. "Tell her I'm gonna miss her too. But I'll write her everyday. And she can call anytime. I have a telephone in my dorm room."
Erin smiled. "I'm gonna miss you."
"I'm gonna miss you too. I feel so weird leaving everyone. All of you are here on the mountain and here I'll be in Petersburg."
"It'll be a big change. Are you nervous?"
"Yeah, I am." Joy replied. "It's my first time away from home for extended periods of time. Sometimes I feel like I'm jumping off the edge of the world. But I try to remind myself that its only three hours to come home. It just feels so far away!"
"I remember being so scared to start business school in Richmond. But I loved it and made life-long friends there. It really will be the start of the best years of your life. College is so much better than high school."
"All I can say is you and Ashley had better take care of those kids until I come back. I'll be back for Thanksgiving."
Erin hugged Joy. "I love you, little sister. Do well. Call if you need anything."
"I will."
Ashley hugged Joy. "Have a good semester, Honey. Call if you need anything."
"I will." Joy smiled.
Joy hugged Susan. "I'm gonna miss you so much."
"Don't leave Auntie Joy."
"I have to. I have to go to school. You'll be starting school on Tuesday too. That's a big deal. First grade! You're gonna have so much fun."
"It won't be the same without you." Susan squeezed Joy.
"I love you Honey. You can call me in my dorm room, okay?"
Susan nodded.
"I love you Susan."
Joy hugged her nieces Mandy and Amy as well as her nephew Ash. She kissed her new baby nephew Richard on the cheek.
Joy said goodbye to John-Boy and his family. She hugged her brother and sister-in-law. She wished her niece Jen, who was just a year younger than her, a good senior year. Joy and Jen had grown up more like cousins than aunt and niece since they were so close in age. She hugged all her other nieces and nephews.
Soon everyone had left besides Ben, Cindy, and their kids and Mary Ellen, Jonesy, and their kids.
Ben and Cindy left soon. They said goodbye to Joy and then walked over to their house that was just across the yard.
Mary Ellen and Joy stepped outside onto the porch.
"I can't believe this day is here." Joy smiled.
"Tomorrow's the big day." Mary Ellen smiled.
"I've been thinking about what it was like for me to watch you leave for college."
Mary Ellen smiled.
"That wasn't nearly as hard as letting you go to get married. That really hurt." Tears stung Joy's eyes.
"I've been thinking about those days a lot lately. Not it's your turn to leave and for me to stay."
"I remember how I felt that morning of your wedding. It was so hard to watch you leave."
"Now you know how Katie's gonna feel when you walk out the door." Tears were in Mary Ellen's eyes.
"I remember thinking 'I wish my sissie didn't have to leave.' Now I think about your years married to Curt and watching you lose him."
Tears rolled down Mary Ellen's cheeks, the hurt coming back.
"I was packing today. I found the picture of the moon you sent me when you were on your honeymoon. I'll always treasure it and the memories it brings. It made me tear up."
Mary Ellen smiled. "Guess what I found today."
"What?" Joy smiled.
Mary Ellen pulled out a little pair of folded up socks.
Tears slid down Joy's face. "My socks! You still have them?"
"I never threw them away." Mary Ellen whispered, the lump in her throat making it hard to talk.
After Mary Ellen and Curt had gotten married, Joy missed her sister so much that she sent her a pair of her dirty socks.
Joy swallowed the lump in her throat. "I can't believe you still have them."
"I'll hold onto them forever." Mary Ellen smiled.
Joy glance out at the sky. "Full moon tonight." She smiled.
Mary Ellen let out a little sob.
Joy squeezed her sister's hand. "You're the first person I think of whenever I see the moon in the night sky. It will be even more that way once I'm in Petersburg."
"I remember that night so clearly." Mary Ellen choked out.
"So do I." Joy nodded. "I reminded Mama of it the other night. She remembers how hard that time was for me too."
"One of the hardest things I ever did…" Mary Ellen sobbed. She swallowed hard. "Was leaving you sitting on the porch that morning.
"I remember that morning. It was so sad." Joy was near tears.
The sisters hugged each other.
"I'm gonna miss you so much." Mary Ellen said. "But I'm so proud of you."
"Thank you. I love you with all my heart." Joy smiled.
"I love you too."
Katie came out. "Auntie Joy."
"Katie, how's my girl?"
"Sad that you're leaving."
Joy hugged her niece. Now it was her turn. She led Katie down the sidewalk.
"See the moon in the sky?" she asked. "It's full tonight, so that makes it especially pretty. The moon is in the sky everywhere. So that means that you and I see the same moon, no matter where we are. Katie, when I'm away, look up at the moon every night. Remember that I see it too and will be thinking of you."
Katie hugged Joy.
Mary Ellen cried watching them.
The next day, Joy left for college. But she was comforted by the lessons she had been taught growing up, the love of her family, and the moon that lit the sky every night, reminding her of the special love she shared with her sister. After four years of school, Joy became a teacher and is now teaching at Walton Mountain School, where she gets to spend lots of time with her nieces and nephews.