Tribute to Gramma
August 30, 2010
By definition Gramma was never a “typical” grandparent – she lived thousands of miles away for most of my life; wrote quippy emails instead of sending birthday cards; would mail newspaper clippings to me with no note attached, just her circles and side notes and check marks that indicated she had thoroughly checked the article for spelling and grammatical errors; often suggested we diagram sentences after school rather than play outside or watch tv; and frequently remind me that she did not understand sports and felt no desire to attend my games because “Mindy, baseballs are squares to me.” But that’s what made my Gramma special – because she was one of a kind. I loved how she would answer my morning phone calls, what she termed our “popcorn chats” because I’d “pop” in and “pop” out after I completed my 15 minute walk to work each morning, with the most exuberant, “Why Mindy! I was just waiting for your call,” as if I hadn’t talked to her in weeks. It was that atypical response that made me love her so much more, not to mention made me feel loved that much more.
Today, I received a sympathy card today that read, “We’re given many gifts as we go through life. Some we’re allowed to enjoy for a long time, others only briefly. But each gift has the power to change us, enrich us, to make us better people. In your sadness, may there also be joy that you had such a person to love.” It wasn’t until these past four years did I realize what an incredible gift I had in Gramma – she was not only my grandmother, she became a dear friend. She walked with me through many joys, fears, loneliness, and excitement. She prayed for me, cried with me, dreamed with me, laughed with me, and loved me. Today, I am a better person, enriched, changed, and more whole because of my Gramma. In the midst of my sadness, I know that there is joy because I had such an amazing person to love. I know this joy because I was loved by Gramma. Thank you, Gramma, for being my friend, a confidante, my Gramma. I love you.
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