Grandma’s Lessons of Love
Lessons learned aren’t realized in the moment. Lessons are quiet. Lessons don’t stomp through out lives getting our attention. They come in subtle ways, years later, overlooked as annoying conversations, often it is after we have made many wrong turns in life, rushed reactions to situations. Leaving us pondering how life would be different if we had embraced the lesson in the moment.
While listening to Sunday service the preacher reminded us this year has taught us so much. This past year I have reflected on so many lessons my grandma taught me. I thought about her commitment being excellent in the work of her hand. Endless stories she told about her days of working with the Post Office. Depending on the day you talked to her she either loved working there or she gave a long laundry list of what worked her nerves. Either way the stories she would tell you would be so impressed with her style of work. You could ask her any place in the city she would be able to tell you where and the zip code of that neighborhood. Even after retirement from the Post Office she found work to stay busy.
From working at my father’s daycare center to working on the finance team at church. The foundation of her work has always been to help others. Education was so important to her, she loved when us grandkids would tell her about school and our plans. She found a way to help encourage not just her children and grandchildren but all the children at our church. Each year she would celebrated students who had perfect attendance, honor roll, graduates of high school and college graduates. She even hosted a yearly fashion show to raise funds to give back to the students.
All these years later I never realized the impactful work she was doing. As I participated in many of the fashion shows saw our her encouragement in education was the push we all needed. Much like those lessons watching my grandma during those were quiet. It wasn’t until all these years later I am to truly celebrate and glean from her.
Through her life she was always a hard worker, more than anything she was a giver. She loved making people feel loved, feel they were valuable, making sure they knew if no one else was in their corner she was. She remembered everyone’s birthday, didn’t miss out on sending birthday cards to her family and extended families. She was the first person you saw coming into church as she greeted you. There was no better person to greet you than her with her warm hug, she smelled so fresh, her smile was contagious. So many had adopted her as their mother, aunt and grandmother. Her love spilled over daily through every nod, holding of her hand she was the grandma you needed in your life. Reminding you that everything would be okay, reminding you that love conquers all, and prayer will guide you through every step. Her lessons were timeless, her memories are rich and her love is still carried in my heart daily.
Each day I remember my grandma. I reflect on her lessons, they give me strength they remind me this life is not about me it’s about how I can help others. Her love for people, her commitment to making an impact is the work I want to carry on. I want to work to create a legacy of love for grandma. It’s what we all need love! I’ll forever honor you, Ruth L. Miller