By Donna Traywick
Mt. Olivet News
Les Ferguson Jr., is also author of “Still Wrestling: Faith Renewed Thru Brokenness.”
He had an interesting article in the Panolian recently, called “Don’t Wait for Grey Hair to
Count your blessings.”
Thank you, Bro. Les, for reminding us that if we don’t count our blessings, even though
we have grey hair, we may soon forget.
The article made me reflect on some of my pre-grey hair years. I was next to the last of
8 happy children. We were poor, but we didn’t know it, because nearly everyone was in
the same boat.
Tragedy struck when I was 8 and my little sister 6. A sister, Annie Louise, 5 years older,
and my little sister Mary Anna were killed in a car accident.
Since I no longer had playmates and was consumed with childhood grief I turned to
music. I never thought playing the piano would turn out to be a blessing: My mother paid
three dollars each month for my lessons. I knew I dare not waste my mother’s money.
I went to Mt. Olivet School. Mrs. Lois Marberry was the piano teacher, and was very
creative. We put on musicals wearing crepe paper evening gowns. I never considered
that I had blessings from these musicals, but it taught us to appreciate the great
masters.
When I was about 10, our piano teacher had surgery. My best friend, Martha Jo Childs
Hall and I had to take over playing for the church, we definitely never considered that a
blessing, but it was one of our greatest blessings.
Elementary, junior high and high school passed on quickly. I began playing for social
events, weddings, and funerals. Sept. 4, 1955, was the first wedding I ever played for, it
was the wedding of Bruce Howell and Hurston Newcomb. I didn’t consider that a
blessing because I was scared to death, but it was.
I met George Thomas Traywick my first year at Ole Miss, where I had a music
scholarship. That was definitely a blessing. George Thomas was fun to date because he
had such manners and took me to fancy places.

Six years later I became Mrs. George Traywick. That was probably the greatest
blessing of all. Six years later the next greatest blessing was the birth of our daughter
LaDonna Traywick.
Every growing up minute was a blessing. If you are a grandparent, I don’t need to tell
you what blessing that is. Gregory Alexander Murphree is the son of Greg and LaDonna
Murphree and my blessed grandson.
Readers, go back and reflect on your years before gray hair and after. I bet, like me you
will find you had blessings you were not aware of. I know that God guided me through
every note I played and is still as I do my lessons, choir and children’s church.
I hope you will find blessing when you reflect on your past.
Reach Donna at donnatraywickmusic@gmail.com