A woman of great value, respect, integrity, strength, and power.
My grandma truly made an impact wherever she stood.
She wasn’t famous or rich.
But she had a heart of gold, which made her priceless.
If they ask me to describe her
A woman of family, she cared for hers.
Even those who weren’t blood.
She was a woman who loved tradition, the smell of sweet potato pie on holidays or random Sundays.
Turkey legs, fried fish, and chicken, of course.
Greens, my grandma loved beans; she made all kinds.
Green beans, pinto beans, even black-eyed peas.
She didn’t discriminate.
Did I mention she loved to shop
Certified shopper.
THE fashionista.
A woman who never turned down a trip to the thrift store.
She had no problem with buying the things she liked or desired.
So, many pretty colors but intentional to.
Silk, real silk, not that cheap synthetic mess. Wool coats, in multiple colors.
Gold jewelry, real.
Classic brands like Liz Claiborne and Calvin Klein in her closet.
She wasn’t rich or even materialistic; she just had great taste.
Quality over quantity.
Plus, her mom was a seamstress, they knew good fabrics.
If we’re talking love
My grandma loved being in her garden planting tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and even peonies. Being outside, enjoying the weather, was her thing, like a true Southern woman.
She sat on the porch during the day, when the birds’ chirps were fresh, the sky was clear, and it was warm enough to sit comfortably.
Our house sat on the “sunny side”.
The sun would rise on our side, but by noon it’s beaming down on our skin, hitting it, creating a glistening mocha.
She loved being alive.
She was a friend to many
Maybe not a friend, but kind to many.
She knew who her friends were and who wasn’t. Or she knew how people were and accepted them for who they were and didn’t try to change them unless they were me, ya know? I was a kid.
My grandma wasn’t a mean woman; she wasn’t malicious or fictitious.
She lived in reality, and while it wasn’t always sunny, she never gave up.
Her endurance to keep going
I can’t tell all her business because that wouldn’t be very good of me.
Just know my grandma never gave up, even on her last, last breath, I know she kept fighting. It happened naturally.
Everything about her was natural.
Her hair, her face, her smile, her soul.
She carried herself like a goddess. She wouldn’t dare call herself that, but she carried herself through life very peacefully.
She never let life spoil her
Even on days when she didn’t know my name anymore or she didn’t wanna eat, my grandma always said, “Sorry”.
It’s hard to think about how my grandma’s life changed so drastically through her dementia, but I saw the family she built jump right in.
I saw her legacy placed in the hands of every single one of us, and it was like a whisper from God saying, “Pass it over, they got it.”
So, I grew up in the house with her
Our relationship is forever growing, even while it may be four years later… bits of my grandma still move alongside or, better yet, within me.
I am 26.
She left this world when I was 22.
Why can’t grandmas live forever?
I think it’s because they have other duties to fulfill, but they leave you with so much to discover.
And you’re truly never alone when you have a grandma like mine.
With love,
Happy birthday, Grandma!
Forever a legend.