I went to University to play volleyball, accidently received a degree and got to know my Grandma.
My grandpa was the best! Not the best dad, according to my mom, but the best grandpa. He always let us play in the barn on the farm, took us for sled rides in the snow and let us help him. He was patient and funny, but not the easiest man to live with.
If my grandpa was the best, my grandma should be a saint. She was my grandpa’s later-in-life bride, but my Grandma Mary ended up being my closest living grandparent and my favourite.
When I went away to University, I moved to the town where my grandparents lived. The town where they went to the horse races (my grandpa loved horses), the town where they spend almost every moment together and the town where they created a home for me to go to. My grandma was my mirror because she was so good at reflecting back my feelings. She had an inner knowing that couldn’t be explained. She was selfless in her questions. She was kind in her answers. She was forgiving and gentle. She was a beautiful singer. An awesome bingo player! A beautiful person.
She gave me a potato pot for our wedding. Every family needs a big potato pot to cook with for their growing family.
She never met my boys, but she saw lots of pictures. She was always grateful for anything I did.
She was always excited to hear what they were doing. She listened well.
She was the first person I talked on the phone to about my mom’s death and she really, really got it. She knew my mom’s heart because her heart was the same. The both sure loved curling!
And now my heart is broken again.
Shattered in pieces by loss.
Grandma Mary died six days after her ninety-fifth birthday.
Well-lived Grandma!
You lived an excellent life.
Grandma Mary… I love you more than you know. Thank you for feeding me like a queen while I lived the University life. Thank you for getting to know Steve and I and our boys. Thank you for being a peaceful presence. Thank you for welcoming me into your ways, your family and for living with my grandpa. I always wish I could have done more, visited you more up north and just spent more time in your presence. Love you Grandma!
![IMG_8338[1]](https://beenough.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/img_83381.png)
Missing the women in my life that were guiding lights, kind, thoughtful and now out of my reach, not a phone call away.
This is hard!
Humbling!
Life-changing!
"Be" ENOUGH 
So sorry for your loss Joanna. Your Grandma sounds like a wonderful gal who lived a good thoughtful life. It’s hard to lose anyone we are close to but losing the strong women in our life is extra hard. I still miss both of my Grandmas so much and yet they died many years ago. I feel like their ‘stamp’ is on me forever. And my Mom. When I got hit with breast cancer last fall I actually kept picking up the phone to call her-5 years past her passing. Like your Grandma she died close to her 95th birthday. I felt like she was around me the whole time tho and like her I needed no further treatment after the surgery. One of the lucky ones. And we are lucky too -you and I- to have been blessed with those strong women in our lives. Thinking of you and sending many hugs. Jan
Ah Jan! You are one of the sweetest things alive right now. Your words are a soothing balm. Thank you for sharing and for caring!
Wow Jan, thank you for sharing and for resonating with me. It has been a growing time again. Your words meant alot during these weeks.
Sorry for your loss Jo, she sounded like an amazing lady!
Thanks Angela… She was very present for me. A literal gift in my life.