Grandmothers' Gifts

I was young when my mother’s mother passed away. We called her Maw-Maw. My only memories of her are of a very sick woman. My mother became her nurse in those days. I do not remember any conversation I ever had with Maw-Maw. My mother has told me that she enjoyed life. She loved dancing and visiting her friends. It must have been very hard on her to have a disabling disease at the end of her life. I imagine her faith is what kept her going. She sent her children to Catholic school and instilled the Catholic faith in each of them.

We called my father’s mother Mom. I was married with children when Mom passed away; but, I still never had a conversation with her. Mom spoke only Cajun French and what little we said to each other was translated by my parents when we visited Mom and Pop every Sunday. What I remember about Mom was her reverence to our Lord. She was a very devout Catholic, always attending Mass, saying her rosary and getting down on her knees at night to say her nightly prayers. It made quite an impression on me as a young kid to see my two elderly and arthritis-riddled grandparents, who could hardly walk, on their knees beside their bed at night.

You might think I suffered in the grandmother-granddaughter relationship department. You would be mistaken. The Lord blessed me with a wonderful woman in my life who was very much a “grandmother” to me.

My neighbor, Mrs. Anita Larson, “Larson”, was a lonely widow whose only child and grandchild lived across the country. My sisters and I latched onto Larson and we just adored her. She called us her adopted grandchildren. Some of my favorite childhood memories are sitting on Larson’s porch, in one of her big white wooden rockers, listening to her stories. She was always full of compliments for us; the best shot of self-esteem a kid could have! It was a true grandmother-granddaughter relationship. I never felt judged or unwanted. I felt unconditional love. Before Larson passed away, I was able to sit and visit on her porch with my own children. She treated them the same; they too adored her.

Years ago, when Mom and Larson were still alive, Mom was visiting us and she was able to walk next door with us and sit on Larson’s porch. She and Larson spoke in French together. Later on, Larson told me that my grandmother said her only regret in life was that she never learned English and could not speak to her grandchildren. Having heard that, I regretted never learning French. Sadly, it was too late.

I still consider myself very lucky in the grandmother department. I know that I will see them all again one day. When that day comes, I will get to know Maw-Maw and ask her to show me some of her dance moves. I will thank her for the gift of my mother, whom she raised to be the most excellent nurse, mother, and grandmother.

I will sit on Larson’s porch in heaven and finally have a conversation with Mom that we both understand. I will thank her for the gift of her reverent and devoted acts; which spoke more loudly than any words could have. And finally, I will greet my adopted grandmother, Larson and thank her for giving me the gift of experiencing a true grandmother - granddaughter relationship.

Today I am the grandmother of two grandchildren and we sit on rockers and visit. We dance and sing, and most importantly we pray and say the rosary together. They are a gift I cherish as I pass along the gifts my grandmothers gave to me.

God Bless Grandmothers!