Skip to main content

Cindy

Cynthia Logue Barrentine: Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Wife, Mother, and Friend. We lost my Aunt Cindy almost nine years ago, and, for me, it's still hard to think about her without longing to see her again. Hear her again. Hug her again...

The topic for the upcoming Carnival of Genealogy is "Mothers." My first instinct, of course, was to write about my own mother. She raised me and taught me so much. In fact, she continues to raise and teach me! Not only as my mother, but now as my friend. However, I don't think my mother would mind that I was guided to her sister Cindy.

I am constantly reminded that Cindy left behind a daughter. She's in high school now, and I cannot imagine how she must ache for her mother. This post, however, is from my point of view. And that is how I intend to tell you about Cindy.

Cindy was one tough lady. The phrase, "cuss like a sailor," would fit her just fine. What was funny, though, was (as far as I could tell) she was the only one who could get away with it in my grandparents' (her parents) home. Four siblings grew up in that household, but only one would let 'em fly. Why? I guess because, well, that was Cindy.

To further illustrate the "one tough lady" remark: During our last conversation, Cindy told me to be sure to "not take sh*t" from anyone. To put it mildly, her opinions were not filtered, and they were freely given. She always knew when and where to give them, though. She would never embarrass you. Time and place were something she had an instinct for.

During my times with just her, her words were always kind. This tough woman had a heart full of love, and I never doubted it. I know now that she was always teaching me. Back then, it just seemed like goofing off and having fun! :-)

When I got a little older, she continued to keep me under her wing. Something I will always remember was she refused to let me call her ma'am. I was raised to say "yes, ma'am; yes, sir" and the like. Of course, when I was around a lot of family members, it would come naturally and often. If I addressed her in that fashion, though, her response would be, "What?!" Sometimes it would take me a minute to get what she was referring to, but then a light bulb would go off, and I would apologize.

Some might not think that whole scenario to be a big deal, but it conveyed a lot to me. Cindy believed her and I to be equals. I could speak to her about anything (and I did), and she would return the favor.

And Cindy was the most non-judgemental person I have ever known! She treated everyone the same, with whatever respect they deserved. She would strive to give a person whatever needed to better their self and their life.

While Cindy was a firm believer in God her whole life, when her daughter was born she strengthened her walk with Him. She knew her daughter being surrounded by family and friends would not always be enough. Cindy was a wonderful role model for her child, giving her the foundation I believe she needed to live fully without her mother physically by her side.

Maybe that's one of the reasons a statue in Bonaventure Cemetery struck me so. It was an angel, and just below her feet was the inscription "Cindy." This memorial was, of course, for another woman who went by that name. And while I'm sure the other woman was equally deserving, that image always comes to mind when I think of my Cindy in her Heavenly form.

There's so much more I want to tell you about Cindy -- how she was the one who enabled me to watch scary movies, how she liked her oatmeal cookies so soft they would melt in your mouth, how her potato salad is to this day my favorite food, how she was NOT a morning person, how she always told me to watch out for snakes when I left her house, how her laugh was quiet yet contagious... how I can still feel her love, even at this very moment.

Comments

Caroline said…
Great post. Your love for your aunt is endearing! I see that you, too, had an angel in your midst, and that you are so much "more" for it as well...

Caroline
Greta Koehl said…
Absolutely beautiful - you have really brought Cindy's personality to life.
S. Lincecum said…
Yes, Caroline! I thank you and Greta for the nice comments.
What a beautiful tribute to a wonderful aunt! Your Cindy must have been loved my many. What a tragedy to have her leave you here when she was so young.
S. Lincecum said…
Thank-you, Judith and Dorene, for the nice comments!

Popular posts from this blog

Rocks, Rocks, and More Rocks

Why do people put rocks on grave stones? Some time ago, I learned that the rocks signified a visitor. That is true enough, but I decided to learn a little more about the custom and share my findings with you. Putting rocks on tombstones is most often described as a Jewish custom. There are many "Ask a Rabbi" columns out there, but I did not find one that knew for sure where the custom originated. They all agreed, however, that a rock symbolized a visitor and when put on a tombstone said, "I remember you." I also read that some people pick up a rock wherever they are when they think of a person that has passed. Then, the next time they visit the grave, they place the rock to say, "I wish you were here." Rabbi Shraga Simmons offers a deeper meaning: "We are taught that it is an act of ultimate kindness and respect to bury someone and place a marker at the site. After a person is buried, of course, we can no longer participate in burying them. H

Southern Cross of Honor

I'm late to this discussion, but it's one I'd like to join. :-) Terry Thornton at The Graveyard Rabbit of the Hill Country started with Grave Marker Symbols: The Southern Cross of Honor and UCV (link no longer available). Judith Shubert at The Graveyard Rabbit of the Covered Bridges continued with Hood County Texas: C.S.A. Veterans & Southern Cross of Honor Symbol . [UPDATE, 1 June 2009: Judith has moved this post to the blog, Cemeteries with Texas Ties . The link has been corrected to reflect this move. You may also link to her article via her nice comment on this post.] Wikipedia states: The Southern Cross of Honor was a military decoration meant to honor the officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates for their valor in the armed forces of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. It was formally approved by the Congress of the Confederate States on October 13, 1862, and was originally intended to be on par with the Union Arm

Thursday Link Love: EyeWitness To History

Yesterday, a link was added to the Genealogy Research Resources Group at Diigo. The link was to the website titled EyeWitness to History.com: History through the eyes of those who lived it . It's a great site, and I encourage all to visit it. Here are several items I found while snooping around. - Inside a Nazi Death Camp, 1944 : "Hitler established the first concentration camp soon after he came to power in 1933. The system grew to include about 100 camps divided into two types: concentration camps for slave labor in nearby factories and death camps for the systematic extermination of "undesirables" including Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, the mentally retarded and others." - Crash of the Hindenburg, 1937 : "Radio reporter Herbert Morrison, sent to cover the airship's arrival, watched in horror. His eye witness description of the disaster was the first coast-to-coast radio broadcast and has become a classic piece of audio history." [You ca





SouthernGraves.blogspot.com

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."

Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!' Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live...'" (Ezekiel 37:1-5, NKJV)