To Granny with Love: A Belated Birthday Eulogy

As it turns out, I’m a little late to the party. Granny wouldn’t have been surprised by this however. For if there was anyone in the world who understood my Anne Shirley tendencies of having good intentions but rarely seeing any of them through to completion, it would be her. 

Truth be told, her birthday would have actually been on March 11. And I really, really wanted to have this posted on that actual day because, after all, that would be the most responsible and logical thing to do. Yet, life happens. To be fair, I did attempt to post this the day after her birthday- however, thanks to technical website errors which took  over a week to resolve, here I am just getting around to publishing this post. But the beautiful part is…

She would have understood. Perhaps better than anyone else.

For she had raised three girls of her own, and later in life went on to help raise 4 of her grandchildren. Those of whom included myself, along with my older brother, a cousin that was 6 years older than me, as well as another who was 4 years younger. Without a doubt, she knew what it meant to have her hands full and overflowing. 

Everyday without fail she would serve breakfast and see each of us on and off the school bus. Even now, I can still hear the sound of Paul Harvey’s voice on the radio as we waited on rainy or cold mornings by the door until the school bus came into view. The scene of her waving goodbye until the bus was out of sight is a portrait of peace that will forever be stored deep within my heart and mind. 

I know that it may sound unbelievable, but I promise to this day I can still vividly remember the view of her standing at the end of her drive waiting for me to arrive home from my first day of kindergarten. I can still hear her asking if I had a good day and what I had learned. I pulled my “A is for Apple” worksheet from my backpack, and upon showing  her, she smiled and complimented in a way that only a grandma can. From that day forward she would continue to meet me at the bus stop.

This was, without a doubt, the finest moment of my day. For my Granny…she was my shelter. 

As I got older, another task she took on was going over my spelling words with me. She didn’t miss a beat on this one either! Every morning she would drill me; and on the day of the test, you had better believe that before I walked out the door, she knew without a doubt that I would pass. And, honestly, I don’t recall failing a single test. Even still, I credit her for my spelling abilities every time my husband yells, “Hey, Hun…how do you spell…?” 

Another thing I credit my Granny for is my love for literature, antiques, modern art, and wholesome entertainment. Though she didn’t read aloud to me very often, she did have old books lying around here and there that naturally sparked my interest simply because of their lovely aesthetics. Sadly, I don’t have any of her original story books. However, because of the exposure I had as a child, I have over the last several years developed a love and a hobby for growing a beautiful collection of my own. 

Some of my fondest childhood memories were made at Granny’s house on Friday nights. School was very dismal to me, but the joy I found in knowing we would end the week together brought me all the peace and comfort I needed to make it through. Most nights we would eat a simple meal such as scrambled eggs and toast, but on some occasions she would order cheese sticks from a local pizzeria, and, to my amazement they would deliver them to us at her home. This was an especially extravagant treat for me, because pizza delivery was not an option where I lived. 

After dinner she would usually make popcorn for us before we went to the living room to cozy up and watch a good movie. She particularly loved Shirley Temple movies, of which she owned the complete 18 video box set.  Even now when I see anything Shirley Temple related, I am immediately transported back into her living room. In closing my eyes, I can still  envision the tranquil beauty of this space I found to be so sacred as a child. I can feel her berber carpet under my feet; my body lying upon her blue velvet couch under the warmth of her handmade afghan; the sound of the ice clinking in her cup and the recliner handle turning; the smell of the popcorn and Diet Rite. All of these things are as clear as a bell to me. 

Yet more than just smiles, books, and movies, my Granny gave me something more; something lasting. She gave me an example to live by; the life of Jesus. She was the one whom I sat beside every Sunday in church. The one I watched every Wednesday evening preparing food  for church potluck. The one who listened to gospel songs and sang in the church choir. And, on the reverse side of this, she was the one I watched cry and pray through her hardships. She struggled with an ongoing battle of depression, yet she marched on day by day serving, teaching, cooking, cleaning, listening, praying, and singing. 

And, Oh, how I loved to hear her sing.

She had a beautiful, soprano pitched voice which perfectly hit the high notes. Or at least, it sounded perfect to me. One hymn I vividly recall her singing in church was, Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary. I can still her voice ringing in my ears…

 Cal-va-ry, Cal-va-ry

Burdens are lift-ed at Cal-va-ry

Jesus is ve-ry  near

And today, as a woman who now has a child of her own, along with other numerous responsibilities, I hold my Granny’s words closer than ever before. 

For my Granny and I…we are one in the same. 

Both of us have experienced the joy and struggle in marriage; the triumphs and hardships of motherhood; the perfect peace and comfort of our Savior in times of loss. We have both carried weighty burdens that threatened to crush us, along with the freedom that comes when we lay our troubles down at Calvary and find that Jesus is indeed, very near. 

And if she were physically near today, I would tell her Happy Birthday yet again. But more than that I would thank her in abundance for her love; for her patience; for her pure goodness of heart that loved Jesus and taught me to do the same. 

Happy Belated Birthday, Granny. May your spirit live through me, that all whom I cross paths with may catch a glimpse of who you were, and, ultimately, of Who you taught me to believe in; Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I’ll  be seeing you by and by on the beautiful, celestial shore.