Grandmothers
Here’s something a little bit different for you today, a post about grandmothers, right on the heels of Mother’s Day. This post is part of The Grandmother Power Blogging Campaign, a collaborative effort of hundreds of bloggers writing about Grandmother Power from May 7th to 14th, 2013. I wanted to participate because my grandmothers have been such a huge influence in my life. You can learn more about the blog campaign here.
I had grandmothers.
I had grandmothers whose families moved them across the country in hopes of a better life.
I had a grandmother who lost the love of her life when she was only 16. I had a grandmother who lost her brother to war when he was only 19.
I had a grandmother who picked cotton. I had a grandmother who stacked hay bales.
I had grandmothers who milked cows and made their own butter and sent their sons to Vietnam.
I had a grandmother who gave me a funny, stubborn, 100% supportive dad. I had a grandmother who gave me a mother who loves kids and would do anything for me.
I had a grandmother who took me to church and spoke in tongues. I had a grandmother who believed in God but never went to church.
I had a grandmother who made the best chicken and dumplings in the world. I had a grandmother who made the best yeast rolls in the world.
I had a grandmother who watched Carol Burnett and Dallas. I had a grandmother who only watched the weather.
I had grandmothers who taught me about flowers and gardening and sewing and cooking.
I had grandmothers who showed me what it means to love unconditionally. I had grandmothers who showed me what it means to be dependable, to be solid, to be trustworthy.
I had grandmothers who gave the best hugs.
I had grandmothers whose inner strength and will to survive amazed me.
I had grandmothers who met for the first time alongside a creek called Jewels Branch.
Well, I must admit, I had a grandmother who died before I was born, a step-grandmother who barely acknowledged my existence, and another paternal grandmother who just saw me as one of 12 grandchildren. I didn’t get much role modeling or recognition from that generation. But my mom? She rocked :o)
Oh Christie,
This comes on the heels of my maternal grandmother passing and I treasure the memory of visiting her in Puerto Rico. I didn’t get to see her much throughout my life but she was always in my heart and mind even though she lived far away. She would sew things for my mom when she became pregnant with my little sister.
We would get packages full of all these baby blankets with crocheted eyelet. It was magical. Thank you for reminding me again of her and how blessed we are to have our ancestors in our hearts even when they’re no longer around.
xo
I loved reading this! I also had a grandmother who miked cows, made her own butter and sent her sons to Vietnam, and watched Dallas! As I grow older and understand the world more, I wish I had more time with my Grandmothers. I have so many questions I’d like to ask them abut what it meant to be a women during their time. They both lived their late 90’s but still passed before I got to my 20s. It’s wonderful you are honoring your grandmothers in this way!
I LOVED this post. First of all, I LOVE your writing style with this post. It is beautiful and poetic. I was very close with my maternal grandmother. She was the person I could call when I spilled pink nail polish on my brand new bedspread. She came over and got my bedspread, took it home and washed it and never told my mom. She would do anything for us. She was funny and witty and so sweet all at the same time. She has dementia now, but she still takes my hand and even though she can’t talk, I know what she is saying to me. My daughter’s middle name is my grandmother’s name, because I want her to know what a special person my grama is to me. Thank you for writing this.
How lovely. I had a grandmother who was a servant in the 1920s and had to clean the stairs every morning by candlelight before the lady of the house awoke. I had a grandmother who was the eldest of 9 siblings and buried every one of them before she passed over.
Wow a wonderful post to honor the greats before us! My materal grandmother passed away before I was born, people say I remind them of her spirit. My pateral grandmother died when I was young so I am a lost bloodwise. But have been blessed to have other older women role models.
Lovely tribute to grandmothers! Personally, I’ve been influenced by my mum’s mother who, unfortunately, I never got to know very well, since she suffered from Alzheimer’s during most of my childhood.
Still, I got to know about her story through my mum, who deeply admires her.
My grandmother was a very strong, visionary and driven woman. She believed education was the key for her children to have a better life, and she made sure all of them completed their studies.
I often ask myself the following question as I go about my life: Would my grandmother be proud of me if she saw me now?
That usually offers me some inner guidance on the paths I should or should not take.
My grandma’ was dancing and laughing and joking around all the time.
Quite a joker and you can even say an ‘entertainer’.
I must have stollen something from her 😉
Thanks for this,
L
What a lovely post. Both my grandmother’s died before I was born so I can’t relate. I wish I could’ve gotten to know them. My mother rocks, though! She’s awesome!