Grandma's Hands

Her hands were soft and smooth like fresh sheets on a bed. You just want to touch and slide your hands all over them. She wore a wedding band that seemed to be on her finger forever, it was thin and very worn. Grandma was old in years but her hands were young, strong, gentle and very talented. Her finger nails were trim and pink, I don't think I ever saw her wear finger nail polish.
She could sew and knit faster than I could count, well I was only in the first grade. She could pluck the feathers off a dead chicken with the strength of any man and twice as fast. But gently hold my chubby cheeks and kiss me good night. And there were times, not to many, she would spank me so hard I thought it was a board she hit me with. As grandma got older spots started to show on top of her hands, of course these are age spots. My grandchildren ask me what the spots are, I just tell them that they are freckles. Hey they don't have to know everything about being old, they are still young. Maybe when they grow up they will remember grandma's and grandpa's hands.

Now when I cook and see these spots on my hands I think of my Grandma's Hands.