Remembering Grandma

There are some moments in life I will never forgot, and the day my grandma passed is one of them. I was away from home, in Semester 2 of my Masters programme and trying to do my best to maintain good grades and my scholarship. It was a Saturday morning, and I was at my temporary home. The minute the call came in I knew. I remember crying on the bed and feeling so incredibly sad and alone. February 9 will always be a day I'll remember.

But the December before that fateful day I will also never forget. I came home for Christmas, and grandma was celebrating her 80th birthday. There is one particular moment that stands out. One night, she was lying down and I was beside her. She did what she used to do when I was a child - she sang hymns. And I sang with her. It was hard because it was at the fore of my mind that that could be the last such moment I would have with her. It turns out I was right. A part of me wanted to be elsewhere, but I chose to remain and bear it...I am so very glad I did.

My grandma is one of the first people I can say I felt love from and who was love in action. From her I learnt that you share for yourself last, you give from what little you have and you can be grateful for the smallest of things. She loved her God and was faithful in serving Him. And she spoke her mind when she didn't approve of something. Her favorite exclamation was "cockroach!" when something excited her, and she was always saying it when watching her favorite soap The Bold and the Beautiful. There is so much more I could say...

She may no longer be around, but her memory I will cherish always. I hope she knew I loved her dearly, because sometimes I feel I didn't show it enough. I hope she knew she took a piece of my heart with her when she left. But if there is one thing I know, I will see her again.

See you in the next life Miss Lola. But until then, continue to rest in peace. Love always

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