"Just Let Life"

When I think of one woman that has changed my life, it has been my Grandma. This is a lady that would put up with everything from my Grandpa screaming "Woman! Get me a sandwich." to grandkids coming to her house just for some cookies and a talk at the kitchen table.

Anytime we would go there she would always be delighted to see us like nothing in the world ever bothered her. We would sit down at the kitchen table like it was a meeting spot with our counselor and tell her everything from our day at school to not knowing how we are going to pay our next bill. She sat there with her cup of coffee and a listening ear.

No matter how hard things got for her, she was always there for her kids, grandkids, great grandkids, neighbors, anyone. She had a heart of gold and never faltered with fear. She was diagnosed with cancer and yet she never seemed tired or weakened. When you went down to her kitchen table, she was always there ready to talk to you about anything you want.

She never yelled. She never seemed angry no matter what you did. I can distinctly remember going out to lunch with her once trying to hide a new piercing I had gotten when I was 17. I remember eating my sandwich with her and swallowing my tongue piercing. My reaction was priceless! I thought she was going to scream at me when I told her, but she just looked at me and said,"Well, this is why God didn't put holes in your body. You will learn." She didn't even tell my mom! She made me do that.

She was a tough lady and firm with her decisions. As she got older she was in and out of the hospital. I was 9 months pregnant and had to pick her up from the hospital and get her home. She wanted to go home so bad and everyone had the flu so I volunteered to make sure she got home safe. We were waiting for her papers to leave and it was taking a while. She walked right up to the nurse station and said "We have to go! My granddaughter is about to have this baby and I have to get home before she does!" I sat there stunned, but she got her papers and we left!

As my life got more hectic with three kids and a full time career, it was hard to visit as much as I used to. But even after not seeing me for a couple weeks, she never asked why we didn't visit more or why we didn't stay long when we did. She sat there with a smile and listened. She listened to my kids tell her about school, summer, anything. She listened to me complain about work and running around with kids. Then we would leave. If I could go back, I would visit her more than I did in the end.

During the most stressful of times, I would ask her how she made it through life. She said she just did. She did what she had to for her family. She worked full time in the same place for her whole life and made sure dinner was on the table every night. She worked for everything she had. I learned hard work through her and to never give up on anything. She has taught me that family always comes first with everything in life. She has taught me that no matter how hard things get just don't stress out and keep smiling.

If I could go back to when I was younger and spend as much time with her as I could, I would. She has gone to a better place and I know watches over me every day. I miss her so much and wish I could just get one more hug from her along with one more talk at the table to tell her thank you. Don't take for granted the people that care and love you so much! Take the time to be with them no matter what. The memories are priceless along with the lessons learned from them.