It is a myth that all little girls are afraid of ghosts. Sissy was never afraid of them. She had a gift for knowing when they were about. She knew too; if they were good or bad. At the tender age of five however was her first actual introduction to her special gift.
   
    Sissy was sitting beneath the old oak tree where she loved to play. She knew her Aunt had come to get her mom and that Grandpa was very sick.

      He was the only man at the age of five Sissy could trust with all her secrets. He liked to eat chocolate ice cream and drink coke from a bottle. In Sissy's eyes, he could do no wrong. Grandpa was it. He felt the same way about her.

    When Mom left, Sissy went to play in her special spot under the tree. She talked to some angels and asked that they please watch over her special fellow, but mostly...she just made pies in the dirt.

    Sissy was finishing a special pie for Grandpa with extra acorns ... just like he liked them, when she heard mom calling her. She turned to run toward her mother's voice ... there stood Grandpa. He was standing just under the edge of the boughs of the tree, smiling. Sissy ran to him and said, "I knew you would come!"

"Can't leave my best girl without a hug and a goodbye."

"Where you going, will you bring me back a present?"

"Not this time Darlin', I have to live with the angels for a while. I cannot bring you back a present but I am giving you one right now."

    He bent over and kissed Sissy on the forehead. Rubbed her cheek softly with his rough weathered hand and said, "Darlin' know always that no matter where you are or what you do in this life you have been greatly loved by a tired ol'man. Know that you are my sunshine and think of me when you hear that song. Study, I never was one for learnin'. Read stories to me at night, I will hear you. I LOVE YOU, always."

    Sissy's Mom called again. She turned to look in the direction of the voice. When she looked back Grandpa was gone. She ran to her mother crying all the way, "My Grandpa is dead, my Grandpa is dead." She thought she was saying it to herself but as her Mom scooped her up she asked, "How did you know that?"

"He came to me Momma; he was a ghost of pure love come to tell me bye!"

To this day her Mom says; he was a ghost of love but also stubborness. Determined not to leave His sunshine without a goodbye.