Rest in Peace

 

My grandma, her ex-boyfriend Gene, and my mom circa late 70s or early 80s.

I lost my grandma on Monday, September 8th. It's been a very long time since I lost someone so close to me, and it's a tough blow. I'm 53 years old, and for all of those years, I've had a living grandparent. You reach a point where you almost feel like they're going to live forever, even though you know better. She was 93, so she lived a long life...just not long enough.

Last year, I had a gut feeling that I needed to take my kids down to Texas to visit my grandma (and my mom), so in June, that is what I did. She's had a few hard falls the past handful of years, and I could see the toll it had taken on her. She was thin, frail, and her memory just wasn't what it used to be. 

Like she had during the previous handful of visits, she cried as I went to leave and said, "I'll probably never see you again." In the past, I'd always say, "Oh, you'll see me again." This time...I just hugged her tight. I knew in my heart that this was the last time. I made sure to tell her how much I loved her. 

I'm thankful and grateful that I got to see her one last time. Still, there's a huge hole in my heart where Gramma used to be. 

I miss you, Gramma, and I'll love you forever.