Lisa Crouch

ENG. COMP. 1101-513

James Dunham
Sept. 9, 2015

Crazy Aunt Cookie

I am watching my aunts hands as she is thumbing through her special books at

my parents kitchen table. I just turned 12 years old and I cannot believe she is offering
to teach me her magic! Where has dad been hiding his half-sister for all these years?!
Even at my young age I can tell that he thinks she is flakey and is not fond of her for
whatever reason. Mom seems to be thinking along the same lines. I had to be on top of
things because she was going home to Michigan in a week. My time was limited to learn
all that I could! I watch her twisted old gnarled hands write down numbers and
mathematical equations. Her thin frame was surrounded by stacks of old books and
papers with our names and math scrawled all over the place. She throws out bits of
knowledge and instructions as she adds and writes. Her messy super big frizzy brown
hair waves all over the place as she quickly jolts from this to that. She is intense.
However she appears to be excited to introduce me to numerology. Youre not teaching
her that witch crap are you? Blurts my dad as he walks through the room to grab a
Pepsi. She cackles at his comment and goes over to attempt to give him a teasing hug.
He ignores her and she plays along. Cookie, Lisa just made her confirmation this year
so this is all new to her. Said my mom in a protective tone. Oh yes she told me how
you forced her to attend CCD and she doesnt believe in Catholicism at all! She has half
of my blood in her and she has a gift, I just know it! I COULD NOT BELIEVE SHE
JUST SAID THAT. I had not told my mom that I did not believe in the Catholicism I was
taught and I had NO plans on telling her. I wanted to slide under the table and crawl to
my room before I got the mom death stare. Right then Cookie bounces back to the table
and announces she has some great and also challenging news for me and for my
future.

As a young child my parents always read to me. Mostly my mom. I begged

her to read and reread The cat in the hat as it was my favorite. At age two my grand

Lisa Crouch
ENG. COMP. 1101-513
James Dunham
Sept. 9, 2015

maw thought that I could read! How incredible! Turned out that I had just memorized the
entire book. The story made me giggle because that cat was so mischievous and I too
had that trait. We read the words aloud together at bedtime and as soon as it ended I
wanted that feeling all over again. I read a lot as a young child and then became quickly
bored by the books that were supposedly interesting to my age group between 7 and
12. I tried the Judy Blume books, the mysteries, the teen love stories but I just did not
like the content. I did not care about these fake characters doing things that I was not
doing. I was far too old for my cat book, so I discovered misery. Misery, by Stephen
King, which I read when I was 11. I had been sneaking it out of my dads book library
and read it at night when they thought I was sleeping. AND THERE IT WAS! That
feeling, not exactly like the cat in the hat, but exciting like the cat in the hat! EUREKA!!!
The nightmares were worth the read. I trembled and I shook with fear as I courageously
turned the pages. I was looking for the excitement, the thrill, the surprise, the
entertainment and I had finally found it. Then I found Cookie.

Evelyn, aka: Aunt Cookie, was a striking lady. Huge crazy Tina Turner
styled hair, 5 foot 6 with a slight build except for the ample chest she always had
displayed. She had a beautiful Julia Roberts toothy smile and a raspy voice with a
cackle laugh to match. I thought she was awesome. She was ok with my non beliefs in
the catholic religion. She understood that I thought the bible was hard to read and not at
all interesting. I did not believe in a God who would punish all of those who did not
follow his rules. Who even talks like the people in the bible anyway? I loved that she told
me she did not believe I would go to hell for saying such things. Plus, I was going to
learn numerology and know the future!!! I was going to be able to control more of what
happened around me? I could avoid disasters? What??!!! I spent all of my free time
around her that week, except she never told me my future. Aunt Cookie mentioned
that the numbers indicated that I always search for truth and that I was stubborn. But
somehow she never made time to reveal what she learned about my future or teach me
how to find it myself.

Lisa Crouch
ENG. COMP. 1101-513
James Dunham
Sept. 9, 2015

Over the course of nearly 28 years I have studied many different religions. They
intrigue me, the authors intrigue me. The mystery, the fear, the excitement of who will
make it and who will not. Oh yea, and the ever important how to avoid hell. I discovered
Wayne Dyer and his Buddhist teachings. One of my favorite books is The Tao of Poo
and The Te of Piglet. A duo showcasing the poo bear characters exhibiting Taoism. I
absolutely love Eckhart Tolles A new Earth. I keep a copy in my bathroom to reread
and maintain balance in my life. Aunt Cookie could not teach me to control my future or
anyone else for that matter. She sparked my interest and made it ok for me to go
beyond what was taught to me at an early age. All these books and knowledge just
showed up in an orderly fashion as if to make sense to me. Close clients of mine have
gifted me with books like The shack and The Noticer. I purchased the power of now
when I was 24 years old and I still read it to remind myself to stay present. Without
these books and the authors inspirational guidance I would be hard pressed to find my
truths and peace of mind. Several have given me easy to read bibles. One friend even
gave me a copy of Urantia which is an interpretation of the bible. All of which I devour.
This softens me and allows me to be empathetic to all people of all beliefs. These books
also teach me balance and how to live in the present and to maintain happiness.
So, I do not know my future. I can barely control my lead foot in my speeding car
let alone anything else. Turns out, as Cookie had predicted, that I am a truth seeker. I
truly do not comprehend any other way of being. Also, I am extremely stubborn and
currently trying to temper this little attribute. I hope Aunt Cookie is well wherever she
may be, as I never saw her again. Something tells me she was my cat in the hat.