Happy Birthday Granny (1921-2005)

I would love to sit down for a few days with my Granny asking questions about growing up and how hard the challenges were.

She went crossed-eyed as a child and her father died in 1930, leaving them penniless. But sheer will kept you going even when your husband left you with a one-year-old to raise.

You never complained, just kept your mouth shut.

You never raised your voice at me.

You only asked me for help once, to come over to fix the curtains in the room like I did the day before. Gramps couldn’t do it right that day.

Your boundaries were in cement, don’t break them.

Being raised by your Grandparents gives you a different view, like any generational change.

I learned working hard is the way to work regardless of the job or pay, you do your best.

The little sneaky things you did for me that Gramps didn’t know about.

One of my favorite memories was when I acted like her wheelchair was a race car while at the mall. Making car noises and laughing at the same time. The smile on our faces was priceless.

I admire you for having the strongest backbone and finding a way to survive when you couldn’t drive. You were committed to marriage no matter what, we had a few conversations on divorce.

I think about you every day.

Melinda