Someone I Almost Never Knew that I Had
A few years ago, my Grandma Dorothe was very sick. She was diagnosed with lung cancer and held on somehow for a few years. I am not sure how but she did. I adored my Grandmother. I still do. I don't know that all of the nice adjectives in the dictionary would even begin to describe her.
I did everything that I could to see her as often as I could. Dan and I often made the trip from Wisconsin to Louisville to see her on a weekend. Leave Friday after work and come home on Sunday.
My Grandma taught me that people are important. Not only family but people count, people matter. It's not what you say, but rather what you do. She was a loving, accepting and forgiving person. She had nine children, over 20 grandchildren, a few great-grand children and so many others that loved her. With all those folks that she loved, she could still make you feel like you were the only person in the world.
I see now that through my Grandmother's sickness and death that even though I lost her, I found another family member that has come to mean a tremendous amount to me.
Grandma had a cousin that she was very close with who passed away before Grandma did. Dorothe being who she was, she kept in touch with Ilene's husband and children. I heard Grandma talk about her cousin's family but I don't think that we had met until she became sick herself.
I first met Marybeth and her brother John at my Grandma's house. I was a little nervous and maybe even a tad jealous, but I knew that my Grandma loved her cousin and her cousin's children very much.
In Dorothe's passing and during our mourning, I came to know Marybeth. How lucky for me. I am so glad that she is a part of our family. Things happen for weird reasons, I see that God saw it fit to bring us together at that point. I feel a strong tie to my Grandma through her.
Marybeth lost her Grandmother yesterday. I know the horrible feeling of losing someone that you love. Grandmas are special. I wish that I was there, to hear the stories that get told, to hold hands and give hugs. Perhaps Marybeth will come across someone that she almost never knew that she had the way that I did when I met her.
I did everything that I could to see her as often as I could. Dan and I often made the trip from Wisconsin to Louisville to see her on a weekend. Leave Friday after work and come home on Sunday.
My Grandma taught me that people are important. Not only family but people count, people matter. It's not what you say, but rather what you do. She was a loving, accepting and forgiving person. She had nine children, over 20 grandchildren, a few great-grand children and so many others that loved her. With all those folks that she loved, she could still make you feel like you were the only person in the world.
I see now that through my Grandmother's sickness and death that even though I lost her, I found another family member that has come to mean a tremendous amount to me.
Grandma had a cousin that she was very close with who passed away before Grandma did. Dorothe being who she was, she kept in touch with Ilene's husband and children. I heard Grandma talk about her cousin's family but I don't think that we had met until she became sick herself.
I first met Marybeth and her brother John at my Grandma's house. I was a little nervous and maybe even a tad jealous, but I knew that my Grandma loved her cousin and her cousin's children very much.
In Dorothe's passing and during our mourning, I came to know Marybeth. How lucky for me. I am so glad that she is a part of our family. Things happen for weird reasons, I see that God saw it fit to bring us together at that point. I feel a strong tie to my Grandma through her.
Marybeth lost her Grandmother yesterday. I know the horrible feeling of losing someone that you love. Grandmas are special. I wish that I was there, to hear the stories that get told, to hold hands and give hugs. Perhaps Marybeth will come across someone that she almost never knew that she had the way that I did when I met her.
posted by Ann @ 10:34 PM
1 Comments:
At 7:51 PM, November 02, 2006,
Anonymous said…
Annie,
This is a wonderful blog entry. Dorothe still lives in my heart as I have a Dorothe's Kitchen shamrock coffee cup. I think of her and her family often. Thank you for thinking of us during this difficult time. I'm sure many stories will be told and will find there way to you.
John
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