today marked the first grandparents day in my school's history.the campus was showered with white heads bobbing about, the smell of everything floral and lots of name tags on cardigans.
the day was bittersweet.
our grandmother, grannie jo, passed away yesterday morning.
she was 81 years old.
a few years back she said she wanted to live to 80, so the fact that she managed one more year with one lung, a tired body and exhausted will power, is a miracle.
the fact that she lived past 16 is the real miracle.
it is funny to me how something as morbid as someone dying, can bring out the kindness of friends.one has prayed for me - mentioning her own grief as we experienced sadness together.
childhood friend is willing to drop everything if i need her to. especially if i am flying anywhere.
big sister lets me call her several times a day just to hear her voice.
i think that it is during a death that you notice the life in those around you.
now.
plane tickets have been bought.
a funeral has been arranged.
and the entire family will meet up next weekend in tiny tishomingo to say goodbye to the mother of our father.
i will remember the tiny woman who was made of hearty stock. i will remember her fixing sunday dinner for most of sunday morning. i will remember her working in her garden, alongside her flowers and tomatoes. i will remember her loving her son, my east coast dad, with all of her heart.
and i will remember her idea of a perfect evening: sitting on her hill watching the sun set in the pasture.
next weekend we will remember grannie jo.beacuse in remembering we are able to let go.
p.s.- here is big sister's oklahoma poem. it is one of the most beautiful pieces i have ever read.
1 comment:
Just to clarify, Big Sister did not pass away. Yet.
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