It has been full of emotion: lots of tears, smiles and laughter as I have thought about her. I grieve having to let her go, but I am thankful for the long and full life she lived. There will be more emotions and memories in the days to come, as we will travel to Texas for a memorial service, and then have a later burial at the National Cemetery in Little Rock. The days will be full of sadness as we grieve our loss, but also of joy and celebration over the life she lived.
I've thought about all the many things I learned from my grandmother, and I've realized how richer my life is because of her impact on me.
My grandmother taught me that family is important. She placed her family above all else.
My grandmother taught me that time is valuable....especially time invested with family. She took time to read to us, play with us, take us places. She took the time to travel from Arkansas to Texas if we were in an important sporting event, play, concert or recital.
My grandmother taught me that support of those you love is crucial. She supported me all throughout my life...whether I was experiencing success or failure...I always knew she was in my corner.
My grandmother taught me history...family history and American history. She loved sharing about her life and all she had seen and experienced. She was at the Hindenberg landing when it crashed, she lived through her husband fighting in World War II and the Korean War. My grandfather loved genealogy, and they both loved sharing family history and pictures with us. I didn't appreciate it much at age 16, but I treasure it now at age 49. I love the treasure trove of her life experiences she has shared with me.
My grandmother taught me to love your work....be it paid or volunteer. She was so proud to be a nurse, and even as a little girl, I knew my grandmother loved what she did at the hospital. When it came time for her to retire, she became a "pink lady"...a hospital volunteer. She loved that too, and was dedicated to her volunteer days. For years, she was a Sunday School teacher, and she loved doing that as well. I fully believe staying busy contributed to her long life.
My grandmother taught me to love celebrations. She LOVED holidays, especially Christmas and July 4th. I remember as a kid loving her house at Christmas time. For years, my grandparents held a July 4th party at their house, and they would be dressed in red, white and blue from head to toe, grilling for everyone in the neighborhood. She decorated her home for each holiday, and truly embraced that day or season. Her love of celebrations included birthdays, awards ceremonies, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, retirement parties. She believed in celebrating YOU.
My grandmother taught me to love knowledge. She read all the time, for fun and for learning. She worked a crossword puzzle everyday that I can remember. She watched documentaries and must have passed on that trait to my dad, who then passed it on to me. We both love them too.
My grandmother taught me the joy of giving....whether it be a material gift, the gift of time, or the gift of attention. She loved to give. It didn't matter if the gift came from the dollar store or a department store...when she gave it to you, presentation was everything....and that gift was special. Although I received many gifts from her over the years, it is the gift of her time and attention that I cherish the most.
My grandmother taught me patriotism. She loved our country, and she was proud that my grandfather was military and fought in two wars. She taught me that Veterans Day, Memorial Day and July 4th had more meaning and significance than a picnic or a sale at the mall. She and my grandfather had a flag pole in their front yard, and proudly raised and lowered that flag each day, folding it reverently and carefully. She shared with me the importance of voting, and knowing why you voted. She worked the polls for several years.
My grandmother taught me to have fun. She loved a board game, a card game, sports, museums, picnics, parades, going to the movies, going to the zoo, shopping, swimming. And the beach...oh my, she loved the beach. I think each generation in our family...from her children, to her grandchildren, to her great-grandchildren can all say that she has worn us out before. Until age finally won, her energy seemed boundless.
My grandmother taught me the love of correspondence. Okay, that might sound strange to you, but she did. Over the years, I received many cards and small notes from her in the mail. And I love to send cards and notes to my own friends as well. She had an overflowing address book spanning from family to childhood friends to friends she met as an adult. And she actually corresponded with them...dropping letters and cards in the mail. I remember often going with her as a little girl to the post office. I thought it was so much fun to buy stamps with her and drop mail into the big blue box. She loved jokes and riddles, often your card would be stuffed with those kind of things, as well as newspaper clippings that she simply found interesting. I loved getting them in the mail, and my daughters did also. We recently received a card in the mail with clippings of riddles for us...only she had forgotten to send the answers, and all three of us were stumped. She laughed over that, and a week later, we received more riddles...this time with answers included in case we were stumped again.
My grandmother taught me to revere children. She loved being a grandmother, and loved her time with each of us. She took the time to get to know you...she didn't wait until you were an adult. Later, as she became a great-grandmother, I saw her do the same with that generation. All of her great grandkids loved going to her house as much as we did. She would converse intently, both talking to and listening to, a child on her knee as much as the adult in the room. I've often thought she preferred the conversation with a child more than the conversation with the adult. My own children would race into her house, first for a hug, then straight to a large suitcase full of dress-up clothes and a kids' room full of toys and games. So many of my favorite pictures are ones where my own children and their cousins are playing in her living room.
My grandmother taught me to pay attention. I didn't always appreciate, especially as a teenager, if I was visiting with her, and the tv was tuned to the Lawrence Welk Show. But I sat through many espisodes with her over the years. She not only liked her music, but would find out who I liked and listened to. Every Christmas one of my gifts from her would a favorite album that I was wanting. And when I finally got to see Rod Stewart in concert many years later, she was just as excited as I was. She may not have liked his music, but she had paid attention and shortened the generation gap. When my oldest daughter went through her "boy band" phase, my grandmother would talk to her about the Backstreet Boys and N'Sync. With my younger daughter, she knew who Lizzie McGuire and the Cheetah Girls were. How many great-grandmothers pay attention to pop culture? Two years ago, at Christmas, she put a crazy bow on her head and called herself Lady Gaga. Yep...that was my Gran'mom.
My grandmother taught me that life is always changing...and you have to change with it. Adapt to the new normal, embrace and remember the past, but don't get stuck there. Learn from your mistakes and move on. Failure is as much a part of life as success is. Look forward to each new adventure with anticipation. Wake up each morning thankful for a new day and the wonders it holds. However, even though she taught me that life is always changing, she also taught me that love for family never does. That should always remain the same....steadfast, loyal, pure, and deep.
Thank you, Gran'mom....for always loving me, always embracing me, always listening to me and talking with me. Thank you for enriching my life.
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