Day #1 in A Year of Thanks:
I’m thankful I still have my maternal grandmother.

The Lord blessed me with one of the most incredible grandmothers I could have ever hoped to have. She is my mama’s mom, whom I affectionately call Grams. Grams has been the one constant person in my life since my earliest childhood memories, which go back to when I was three and four years old. She stepped in to raise me when my mother couldn’t after my baby brother’s passing, and she ensured I received a stable education that got me through to high school graduation. She is funny and spunky, very empathic, has a big heart for others, and has done more for me than anyone else has by a thousand times.

As I relax in my bed, writing this, I can’t help but smile and think about one of my favorite memories with her, which was about 1996 when I was eight. We hadn’t moved in with her and Gramps yet, so this was back when I visited her and spent weekends at her house in the mountains. Whenever she brought me to her home, she’d open her garage door with the remote control she kept in her car. I was so young that I didn’t understand she was in total control of the garage door opening and closing. She would simply tell me to tell the garage door, “Open sesame!” or say, “Abra Kadabra!” Then, as I made the command, the garage door would open. I thought it was magic, and I’d get a total kick out of it every time. Her face always lit up and mirrored my joy as she saw the “magical” world through my eyes.

She is more precious to me than anyone else and comes first before all others. I wouldn’t be who I am without her, and I wouldn’t be where I am without her influence. Grams instilled in me a strong compass of morals and values, which helps me navigate the complexities of life, love, and everything in between. She always knows how to make me and my day feel special. Just this morning, she climbed into my bed and snuggled up with her arms wrapped around me.

Some mornings, she playfully wakes me with light touches on my face and arms. It makes me smile, knowing it makes her happy to do this with me. You might think this is weird, but affection (touch) and quality time are our love languages, and they enhance our close bond. I often return the favor by giving her back scratches as I escort her to her bed at night. We always laugh when she intentionally slows her walking pace through the hall or playfully “pauses” in her steps, as it’s her way of getting as many back scratches as she can before we say good night and part ways ’til the next day. We never end our nightly ritual without telling each other that we love each other, and we sometimes playfully turn it into a game of “I love you more.”

I know the day is coming when these moments will inevitably cease to exist, and when that day arrives, these moments will then live only in my memories. With her Coronary Artery Disease and Congestive Heart Failure, she is living on what the doctors call “borrowed time.” She has over 100% of stroking out or having a massive heart attack any day. It could be tomorrow, the next day, next month, or maybe a year down the road. There is no telling when the Lord will call her Home.

Rather than fearing what tomorrow may bring, I simply focus on being present with her. I’m enjoying every moment I can with her while bringing a smile to her face and making her laugh daily with my goofy, funky, energetic self. I love my Grams more than the air that I breathe. So, every day I still have with her is a blessing that I count at the top of my list of what and who I am thankful for.

Day 1 | Day 2
Year of Thanks