17 years ago...
I miss my grandmother all the time. So much time has passed since her death and still I morn all the things I wanted to share with her. She died in my arms, I still recall her leaving her body on the intake of her breath not the exhale. Can't explain it really, just I lay there curled around her and she left.
Being human is perspective in time. In Native American cultures you are always part of 7 generations. You know your grandparents, your parents, your generation, your children, and finally your grandchildren.
This week I passed to my cousin Cheryl all the family photos I had that go back to our great, great grand parents. She has children and grandchildren that will appreciate the family history. She only knew Grandma from 3 times meeting her as an adult. She missed out so much of what a lovely, educated, sweet and innocent woman our grandmother was. Next month Grandma would have been 107 years old. She never berated anyone, she chose to be kind, her life wasn't easy but she bore it with grace.
Dear Grandma,
I have been going through all your old papers, I had always felt so guilty about no writing to you more. Yet now that I see all the letters of mine that you saved I feel so beloved. I could share anything with you and never be judged as anything poorly, just as someone human. You told me I was a kind child, I sure hope that I still am that. I know that I take after your example of writing off people who hurt us. Typically though I have allowed such people to run over me with a semi truck because I want to give them the chance to become whomever I believe them to be capable.
I have my own red kitty now, Sven, he is a little devil and I love him dearly. I have planted many tomatoes again this year. This is just so that I can take all the fruit and gather it up to be canned. I can use your canner and know that we are locked in time cooking together, saving the summer into time capsules to be opened in the future. I have now made that huge step into pressure canning, got past that fear.
I hope I have been a good girl like you always told me to be in your letters and that you are proud of me. Bill still takes care of my emotions and pulls my chain as well. I hope to have as many years as you and Grandpa shared.
Please look out for me and help me find my way so that I can appreciate all the beauty life offers day to day.
Love you always and forever
Bridget
Being human is perspective in time. In Native American cultures you are always part of 7 generations. You know your grandparents, your parents, your generation, your children, and finally your grandchildren.
This week I passed to my cousin Cheryl all the family photos I had that go back to our great, great grand parents. She has children and grandchildren that will appreciate the family history. She only knew Grandma from 3 times meeting her as an adult. She missed out so much of what a lovely, educated, sweet and innocent woman our grandmother was. Next month Grandma would have been 107 years old. She never berated anyone, she chose to be kind, her life wasn't easy but she bore it with grace.
Dear Grandma,
I have been going through all your old papers, I had always felt so guilty about no writing to you more. Yet now that I see all the letters of mine that you saved I feel so beloved. I could share anything with you and never be judged as anything poorly, just as someone human. You told me I was a kind child, I sure hope that I still am that. I know that I take after your example of writing off people who hurt us. Typically though I have allowed such people to run over me with a semi truck because I want to give them the chance to become whomever I believe them to be capable.
I have my own red kitty now, Sven, he is a little devil and I love him dearly. I have planted many tomatoes again this year. This is just so that I can take all the fruit and gather it up to be canned. I can use your canner and know that we are locked in time cooking together, saving the summer into time capsules to be opened in the future. I have now made that huge step into pressure canning, got past that fear.
I hope I have been a good girl like you always told me to be in your letters and that you are proud of me. Bill still takes care of my emotions and pulls my chain as well. I hope to have as many years as you and Grandpa shared.
Please look out for me and help me find my way so that I can appreciate all the beauty life offers day to day.
Love you always and forever
Bridget