On December 28, 1929, a baby girl was born in Chesterfield, South Carolina, who would grow up to be a great woman. She would be a great influence not only on the lives of her family but also on the lives of everyone she met. Two years ago today, I lost this special woman from my life. This woman was my grandma, and not a day goes by that I don't think about her and miss her terribly.
My earliest memories of my grandma are of when I would go to her and my grandpa's house every Friday night while my parents had a date night. My grandma would always pick up some kind of game or toy from the store before I came for me to play with, and I would play with her and Grandpa until my parents came to pick me up. What I wouldn't give to be able to go back and relive just one of those precious nights with them!
I have lots of other memories of my grandma, too. Like how she always loved to dress up and would always wear bright red lipstick. If you got a kiss from Grandma, everyone knew it! She loved jewelry and pocketbooks and shoes and all things girly. She was also my source of income for a while as she would give me a weekly allowance and would not take no for an answer!
More importantly than the outward things, though, she was a great person on the inside. She was kind and cared for everyone she came in contact with. One family friend told us after my grandma's death that my grandma had meant so much to her because my grandma had been kind to her when no one else was.
I visited all four of my grandparents almost every Sunday afternoon and still visit the other three regularly. The afternoon visits are some of the most precious memories I have of my grandma. It's these ordinary, everyday moments that we think nothing of at the moment that we cherish when someone we love is gone.
My grandma stayed in pretty good health until right before my eighth grade year when she fell and broke her hip. She was wheel-chair bound after that and relied heavily on the family to take care of her. That was one of the things that her sickness showed me--how important family is. Whenever she or my grandpa would need something, there was always someone there to help. My family is super close like that.
In June 2011 while I was at church camp, my mom called me one night to let me know that they had taken Grandma to the hospital. I really didn't think anything about it at the time. She had been in the hospital before, and I just asked my friends to pray for her. When I returned home from camp and as June continued, it became clear that she wasn't going to get any better. My dad and his brothers, sister, in-laws, nieces, and family friends all took turns staying at the hospital around the clock to make sure she wasn't alone. She suffered for a month before she finally went home to be with Jesus. My dad spent the night with her, and early on the morning of July 5, 2011, Dad called to tell my mom and me that things had taken a turn for the worst. We, along with the rest of the family, headed to the hospital, and within a few hours, Grandma passed away.
My grandma was an inspiration her whole life and continued to inspire me even in her death. She taught school for many, many years, and at the visitation and funeral, so many of her former students showed up to give their condolences and pay their respects. They all talked about what a difference my grandma had made on their lives and how sorely they were going to miss her. It showed me that life isn't worth living unless you are making a difference in others' lives. What good is it to live your whole life and not touch a single person along the way?
My grandma was truly a wonderful person, and my family and I miss her every single day. She was sweet, kind, funny, and continues to be an inspiration to those whose lives she touched along the way. It's impossible to put all of my feelings for and memories of my grandma into words, but I cherish the time I was blessed to be able to spend with her and look forward to the day that I will see her again in Heaven.
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