The other night I was on the hunt for pictures of my grandmother because of the milestones that were approaching; 6 years of her being gone and what would have been her 84th birthday, so with the Ides of March upon us, I write my random ramblings for a woman that I continue to admire.
My grandmother was an amazing woman that I was fortunate enough to have in my life. She was vibrant, full of life, and someone who could inspire us all; here I share some bits of her.
She never learned to drive (my dad tells an awful story of trying to teach her but she wanted to window shop while in the driver's seat), but she didn't let that stop her - She rode the bus with the best of them and went to work each and every day, walked me to school, and made sure her hair appointments were never missed. As a matter of fact on the day that she passed away, she was headed there. She swore she was five foot two and a half - on a good day without her hair done five foot one was the best she could do. This became a running joke. She only cared about who you were on the inside - your soul mattered most. When we all came home tattooed (including my brother's very naked female one) she never batted an eye. When I dyed my hair a million different colors, she just smiled and shook her head. Money didn't talk because it doesn't make you a better person and she wasn't swayed by that notion. She was Catholic but didn't murder her Atheist son - 'nuff said. She was a morning person who loved to talk; a gift I happily carry on once you know me. She would go out of her way if she could help someone. She was the picture of sheer determination; with a laundry list of health problems which eventually led to the loss of her leg to the upper thigh, she never quit. Wheelchair bound (because she hated the prosthetic) she relearned to cook dinner, dress, hang out with us, clean, and even take it in stride when we joked around generally at her expense due to the missing limb or when my mom threw her out of her wheelchair... okay, the last one wasn't intentional, but it's a great way to torment my mom for many, many, many more years to come!
People say that I am like her, and I can only hope that is a little but true, because if there is someone in this life to be like, it's definitely her. All through college, when I would call her every morning between 4 and 6 am and every night between 10 and midnight, she assured me that she would live to see me graduate college, and I assured her that she would be around to meet her great grandchildren (thank you to my older sister for giving her that pleasure). With many conversations came the question of what I wanted when she passed away, and I told her every single time the same crystal bowl - It wasn't special, I just wanted her to stop asking me! Just under 10 months after my college graduation, she passed away. I would spend a week helping my parents and grandfather with arrangements and come home with that damn crystal bowl.
I think of her often and still talk to her all the time (fortunately she hasn't replied). I wonder, if I ever have those great grandchildren, how to honor the memory of those who have passed (Nick's mom is included here), and how to make sure I impress upon them as she impressed upon me.
I know that I will continue to strive to be more like her and think that the world would be a lot better of a place with a little more of my grandmother (and many others, I am sure) and a lot less of the horrible influences we have at present. So, here's to being a little bit more like the older generations and a lot less Generation Gimme, Gimme, Gimme
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