Death and dying...

I lost another grandparent last night. One of my featured stories here for many years is about the loss of my dad's parents some years ago. This time it was Mom's mom.

Omi, as I called her, had suffered from Alzheimer's for several years now. She was bed bound and non-verbal so her passing really comes as a relief in many ways.

Sad... that she is gone...
Relieved... that her suffering is over...
Angry... that this wretched disease prevented the saying of goodbyes...

I'm home with my family on bereavement leave for a while. Not sure if that means I won't be on here much or if it means I'll be on here constantly. We shall see...

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Valerian · 100+, M

Sara,

Sweetie,

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Grandmothers, (Grandfathers as well as), are always so special in our lives, especially during our childhood when we got to build those fun and fond memories during afternoon visits, staying over for a weekends or weeks at a time.

They weren't our Mom or Dad, but they gave us valuable insight into our parents' worlds we'd have never known. They were living history books, full of wisdom, stories about times now far gone and being forgotten but for what they gave / gifted us.

They dispensed needed humor and discipline, etiquette, common sense, practicality, logic, social views, morality & life lessons. There were cooking, sewing and craft sessions, games, adventures, trips, discovering and discoveries sharing wonderful time in our younger lives. They gave us gifts of socks instead of toys and always wonderful the treasures of their time and love!

All of that followed us along as we both matured, slowly growing with life's seasons. There was guidance for the future that we didn't know we needed and so many thoughts prompted that helpfully shaped us into young adults that they hoped for us become.

They somehow knew our unasked questions and their astute words lead us inwardly where the answers we sought had been planted and waiting. Some of them will still spring up and touch us to this day! Sometimes they reach and touch us still with their unconditional love.

😥