My grandmother (mother’s mother) passed away yesterday afternoon. My aunt and grandpa had left to run an errand in town. She hasn’t been mobile for the past year or so, so she remained behind, recovering from a nasty recent battle with pneumonia. They returned to find she had passed quietly, as if she like always just didn’t want to put anyone out.
Like in many families, she was the matriarch of ours, the center of our being, but she much preferred to stay in the kitchen cooking or cleaning rather than anywhere near a spotlight or resembling a command position. I know everyone thinks their grandma is amazing, but this woman was incandescent. I feel a little lost because there just aren’t enough people like her and stupidly I can’t help but worry for the state of the world because she held mine together. She was always praying for each of us, and there are a lot of us. Even when we were far away, distant or struggling, she was right there, loving us like we were completely without fault. Most of us have strayed or gone through bouts of tough times, and she never cast judgment or had a negative thing to say, we were still hers. She was a deeply devout Catholic, but she never wore it on her sleeve but lived it seamlessly, completely and without labels. My brother always tells people that she lived in a glass house and never threw stones.
Needless to say I’m out of work and pretty much offline until Monday as we travel to Minnesota for the visitation and funeral. We’ve received so many messages of support, and we’re deeply appreciative and grateful to have so many wonderful friends.
Jessica (and Neil)
