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A friend told me a story that while she has been divorced many years, her mama still has her wedding pictures up and won't take them down.

My story is similar, but at least my pictures aren't up where I have to see the CHB every time I go see my mama every Sunday.

This might not be exact, but it is my story. Several years ago, mymama made a scrapbook with our wedding pictures, adding our kids' photos as they came along. Since I had a real wedding this time (meaning I didn't run off to Walhalla, South Carolina) like the first time, I was proud to add my beautiful wedding pictures to this album for my mama. I was in LOVE, so that made me want to put in extra pictures, which of course I did.

For ya'll who know me, you know that LOVE didn't last, so every time I pick that book up, I want to rip those lovely pictures right out. That's when my mama speaks up and says something to the effect of, "That's my book, you ain't taking anything out of there." So guess what? Twenty years later those stinking pictures are still in that book.

The funnier story (to me) is about my lovely wedding photos in my own album. We had lots of wedding pictures taken, as every bride and groom do, and bought the photo album to go with them. You want to look back every now and then to see how beautiful a bride you were and hopefully see that the groom was equally as handsome. We both fit this description at our wedding, but there is one problem with this album now. I cut the groom out of EVERY one of the photos. Yep, I ain't kidding. Every one of them. He may have been most handsome in that black western tux and cowboy hat that day, but apparently that wasn't enough to keep me from getting all crazy and cutting him out. Lord have mercy, what was I thinking? Evidently I wasn't; these albums cost lots of money.

Lesson today? If you find yourself staring at an ex's picture at your mama's, just remember that Bible verse in Exodus that tells us to honor our mother and father.

I, for one, am not going to argue with that, so when my mama tells me that's her book, well alrighty then. I'm not about to take any pictures out. I'm not telling my age, but I'm still scared of my mama. Yep, she might be older, too, but I ain't waiting around to find out if she can still give me a whooping. I know she could and would if she thought I needed it. You know what they say, "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." So just nod your head, smile and agree with mama. I know I am.

- Sherry Smith

Sherry Smith is a 65-year-old grandmother of two boys and a Brenau Women's College graduate. Shespends most of her free time supporting local music, volunteering at local charities and runninga 5K at least once a month.