My grandmother....She had a stroke this weekend, well, actually had her 2nd stroke. Although, we didn't know about the first one. She was also just diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She is 86. I know it is not completely unexpected...in fact, I had prepared myself for something like this. But still, when it happens, your somehow not as prepared for it as you might hope.
She has such a strong presence in my life. She had prepared Sunday lunch for our family from the time I was a baby up until my kids were in 1st and 2nd grade ~every Sunday. She taught me how to read and would spend hours teaching me and listening to me ~ hours. Her house was where I wanted to be when my parents went out or had bowling night or whatever. She was always excited and encouraging about what I would draw, story I would tell, or poem I would write (and she kept a bunch of them...and they weren't good at all). On the nights that I would spend with her we would play a game where we would trace letters, numbers, or names on each others backs with our finger. The other one would guess what was being drawn. We would do it until I fell asleep. It was the silly things, the everyday things, the things that take time, the relationship she nurtured. Gosh....she is the kind of grandmother I hope to be. I don't remember her ever putting herself above or before anyone ever ~anyone.
She is loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled(I don't know if I have ever seen her angry). She possess all the fruits of the Spirit. She is a true servant, she lives to serve people. She took my two oldest to and from preschool everyday while I worked. She would look forward to it, she said.
She hasn't had an easy life. She has worked before working women were "cool". She lost two great loves in her life way too early....her teenage son in '63 and her husband in '66. Yet, I don't think she ever dwelled on it. She just worked her tail off as a single mom. She supported her kids and has never dated or remarried. She was/is devoted to her husband....she still wears her wedding ring and he has been gone for over 40 years. She just lost her last son almost 2 years ago. My mom is her last living child. She would do anything for my mom ~ anything.
She is an amazing daughter, mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, friend, neighbor...She has such a beautiful heart. I guess it may sound like I put her on a pedestal, and I guess I do. I don't know a single person like her.
It may sound like we've been told she's been given a short time to live...that isn't the case. Unfortunately, sometimes, it takes things like this to really understand what life would be like without someone you love. And I love her, we all do....more than words. She is just precious.
No comments:
Post a Comment