Truly a Grand Mother
This morning the call came in. I was informed that my Grandmother has passed from this mortal life to the next. She was once again in the companionship of her sweetheart. The man she had given herself to completely. In this I find joy.
Fortunately, I was informed that she was not doing well and had the chance to sit at her bed side yesterday afternoon and hold her hand. I found great comfort in knowing she was there. I am forever grateful to my eternal companion who has given herself to me. It was at her encouragement and support that we made that visit together. Thank you.
At one point we found ourselves a lone with my grandmother. It that moment that I have tried to focus on. She asked, what do you remember? Suddenly my mind was filled with events, times, and memories. I don't know that could settle on anyone in particular. I found myself wishing my grandmother to wake and share what she remembered of those events, times, and memories that I did not carry so completely. I will have to live on the hope and faith that one day the memories will be shared.
The Queen and I talked a little about some of those events. The others simply slip in and out of my mind. Then this morning, I found myself thinking what I have learned from this great woman. I don't know if I can do her justice, but I will try.
You see, I was blog stalking the other day and came across and entry from a friend who had been asked to teach another how to be a "mean" mother. It was her brief thoughts that lead me to ponder what I have learned from my "Grand" mother. It was then that I realized that though she may not have taught me how to be a mother, she has had a great influence upon who I am as husband, a parent, and son of God. Please bare with me.
My faintest recollections are filled with an over abundance of love. I know from stories told and memories held, that I gravitated towards that love. My grandmother smothered me in love. I do not remember a time that I didn't feel her love, even when I was probably not deserving of it. I felt that love the minute I entered her home. I witnessed that love between she and her eternal companion. There was never any doubt in my mind that their love was true. The love for her children radiated in all she did, in all her waking moments, and in the force with which she lived her life.
As a very small child, I listened to the prayers, ramblings, pleadings, and sometimes even ranting in the behalf of her children. She was concerned about who they were with, what they were doing, why they were doing it, and if she had done enough to make sure they were doing it right. I witnessed her suffer vicariously through the trials and tribulations that her children were enduring. Those moments had great affect upon me. Because of her love, it pained me to see her in such states of distraught. I remember ever so clearly, young in age as I was, trying to protect those she loved and cared for from the dangers of the world that seemed to fill their lives. It was after that experience that I learned from her that somethings are better left in the hands of the Lord and his wisdom. Prayer would probably been a better approach.
It was under her supervision that I learned the importance of being clean. She was ever reminding me to clean, to be clean, to organize, and when I refused, she chased me down with a sponge and made sure I was clean, ears and all. It did not matter where we were. I was properly instructed on how to make a bed, vacuum a floor, wash a table, and shine a shoe. Sometimes these lessons were learned in the comforts of her home. Others when we were on the road, whether in the back of her car, the confines of the motor home, or the expanses of the cabin, she made sure that I knew and understood my part. She exemplified them in all she did.
She gave me joy. My memory starts sitting on her counter tops as I assisted her in improving her baking and cooking skills. If my job was nothing more than being the taste tester, I was her assistant. I cannot count the number of beaters and spatulas I licked clean.
I learned to bask in the fruits of my labors. There were so many mornings I remember eating fresh eggs from the chickens, chilled milk from the cows, and the many harvests from the garden and fields. Breakfasts were filled with bacon and eggs, hot cakes, cooked wheat, and more. My lunches were cheese and tomato sandwiches just simple peanut butter and jelly on freshly baked bread. As I grew, I remember her allowing me to expand and build up on the simple makings of those sandwiches and turning them into creations of agency. Dinner favorites were pea and potato soup, pork chops, biscuits and gravy, noodles and mashed potatoes with gravy, corn on the cob, or asparagus fresh from the canal banks.
Making life fun was always an adventure when with her. We competed in the arts of taffy pulling, ping pong paddle wars, rock skipping, long distance hiking, scavenger hunting, water pumping, and fort building. I fondly remember her taking time out of her busy day to build us a club house one summer after grandpa had received a fresh stack of hay. She started at the top and removed bales of hay from the center of the stack. She continued re-stacking until the hole in the center was large enough for 6 of her grandchildren comfortable stand, sit, move, and eat lunch in our private club house.
I learned the value of morality from the lessons and discussions she taught and had with her own children. Later in life, she re-taught them to me as she counseled me in dress, behavior, and appropriateness in my relationships with young women.
She instructed me in the importance and value of making a whole hearted commitment to my marriage as I witness her dedication to her own.
I will forever be grateful that my children were able to live in her light. I cherish the moments of time spent with her as she celebrated the birth of our third child. My cup runneth over with joy to know that the love I have love I have been showered with radiates beyond her circle of family and expands to my spouse, in-laws, and more.
You are a Grand Mother. My Grandmother. I will forever treasure the lessons learned. I love you.
Fortunately, I was informed that she was not doing well and had the chance to sit at her bed side yesterday afternoon and hold her hand. I found great comfort in knowing she was there. I am forever grateful to my eternal companion who has given herself to me. It was at her encouragement and support that we made that visit together. Thank you.
At one point we found ourselves a lone with my grandmother. It that moment that I have tried to focus on. She asked, what do you remember? Suddenly my mind was filled with events, times, and memories. I don't know that could settle on anyone in particular. I found myself wishing my grandmother to wake and share what she remembered of those events, times, and memories that I did not carry so completely. I will have to live on the hope and faith that one day the memories will be shared.
The Queen and I talked a little about some of those events. The others simply slip in and out of my mind. Then this morning, I found myself thinking what I have learned from this great woman. I don't know if I can do her justice, but I will try.
You see, I was blog stalking the other day and came across and entry from a friend who had been asked to teach another how to be a "mean" mother. It was her brief thoughts that lead me to ponder what I have learned from my "Grand" mother. It was then that I realized that though she may not have taught me how to be a mother, she has had a great influence upon who I am as husband, a parent, and son of God. Please bare with me.
My faintest recollections are filled with an over abundance of love. I know from stories told and memories held, that I gravitated towards that love. My grandmother smothered me in love. I do not remember a time that I didn't feel her love, even when I was probably not deserving of it. I felt that love the minute I entered her home. I witnessed that love between she and her eternal companion. There was never any doubt in my mind that their love was true. The love for her children radiated in all she did, in all her waking moments, and in the force with which she lived her life.
As a very small child, I listened to the prayers, ramblings, pleadings, and sometimes even ranting in the behalf of her children. She was concerned about who they were with, what they were doing, why they were doing it, and if she had done enough to make sure they were doing it right. I witnessed her suffer vicariously through the trials and tribulations that her children were enduring. Those moments had great affect upon me. Because of her love, it pained me to see her in such states of distraught. I remember ever so clearly, young in age as I was, trying to protect those she loved and cared for from the dangers of the world that seemed to fill their lives. It was after that experience that I learned from her that somethings are better left in the hands of the Lord and his wisdom. Prayer would probably been a better approach.
It was under her supervision that I learned the importance of being clean. She was ever reminding me to clean, to be clean, to organize, and when I refused, she chased me down with a sponge and made sure I was clean, ears and all. It did not matter where we were. I was properly instructed on how to make a bed, vacuum a floor, wash a table, and shine a shoe. Sometimes these lessons were learned in the comforts of her home. Others when we were on the road, whether in the back of her car, the confines of the motor home, or the expanses of the cabin, she made sure that I knew and understood my part. She exemplified them in all she did.
She gave me joy. My memory starts sitting on her counter tops as I assisted her in improving her baking and cooking skills. If my job was nothing more than being the taste tester, I was her assistant. I cannot count the number of beaters and spatulas I licked clean.
I learned to bask in the fruits of my labors. There were so many mornings I remember eating fresh eggs from the chickens, chilled milk from the cows, and the many harvests from the garden and fields. Breakfasts were filled with bacon and eggs, hot cakes, cooked wheat, and more. My lunches were cheese and tomato sandwiches just simple peanut butter and jelly on freshly baked bread. As I grew, I remember her allowing me to expand and build up on the simple makings of those sandwiches and turning them into creations of agency. Dinner favorites were pea and potato soup, pork chops, biscuits and gravy, noodles and mashed potatoes with gravy, corn on the cob, or asparagus fresh from the canal banks.
Making life fun was always an adventure when with her. We competed in the arts of taffy pulling, ping pong paddle wars, rock skipping, long distance hiking, scavenger hunting, water pumping, and fort building. I fondly remember her taking time out of her busy day to build us a club house one summer after grandpa had received a fresh stack of hay. She started at the top and removed bales of hay from the center of the stack. She continued re-stacking until the hole in the center was large enough for 6 of her grandchildren comfortable stand, sit, move, and eat lunch in our private club house.
I learned the value of morality from the lessons and discussions she taught and had with her own children. Later in life, she re-taught them to me as she counseled me in dress, behavior, and appropriateness in my relationships with young women.
She instructed me in the importance and value of making a whole hearted commitment to my marriage as I witness her dedication to her own.
I will forever be grateful that my children were able to live in her light. I cherish the moments of time spent with her as she celebrated the birth of our third child. My cup runneth over with joy to know that the love I have love I have been showered with radiates beyond her circle of family and expands to my spouse, in-laws, and more.
You are a Grand Mother. My Grandmother. I will forever treasure the lessons learned. I love you.
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