In three words: be
like Grandma. My grandma turned 96 years
old at the beginning of this year. It’s
one thing to outlive contemporaries; it’s another to do so gracefully. Grandma has managed to live her life quietly,
but with great determination and kindness.
I spent last week with my parents, helping them to move
Grandma into their home. Grandma has
been living in her own home, but the slowing down that comes with age and the
recent onset of early stage Alzheimer’s has necessitated the move.
For a woman who once wired her farmhouse attic, losing
independence seems unnatural. However,
Grandma is gracious to everyone. She is
cheerful and appreciative of help. She
recognizes that she forgets some things, and it is frustrating to her to not be
able to do as much as she used to.
Nevertheless, she has accepted the “new normal.”
As I grow older, I hope to follow her example of independence
and kindness. With any luck, I have also
inherited her genes and will never need to dye my hair!
Thanks for Grandma!
What a lovely lady! I hope she feels peaceful and safe in her new space! That's all we ever want, right? :o)
ReplyDeleteLovely photo!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother will be 100 in three months and she still is such a graceful and proud woman.
ReplyDeleteI hope I am that healthy at 96 and by then I may give up coloring my hair! What a wonderful gene to get! That is a beautiful picture of the three of you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful women....!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know either of my grandmothers, so I am a tad bit envious. Soak up all the stories and memories she can share with you - they are priceless.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful picture!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had taken more pics of my grandmother...