A Small Tribute To My Grandmother

This is the first time that I have written about my grandmother since her death. Today is the first time that I truly cried since her funeral. I don't think I've ever cried as hard as I did that day. It still hurts...My heart was broken and I wasn't sure how I could overcome the grief that had taken a hold of me from the moment I heard that she was dead.

I don't know who she was to you, but to me she was an amazing woman, a friend, a counselor, a teacher, and my time spent with her were some of the most amazing times in my life. This is a lot harder then I thought it would be, but I couldn't call myself honest or a writer of I didn't write about her.

How could someone play so many roles in a short life span, be a wife, a mother, an adoptive mother, a great aunt, an adoptive grandmother; someone who was just so very strong and had a laugh that could melt all your troubles away.

I sit here and I remember when my cousins Willie and Charlotte, my sister Stephanie and I were watching Baby's Day Out with her and every time that little white baby beat the bad guys up, she would laugh with that Laugh only she could belt out.

Or that time we didn't go to church, so me, Stephanie, Wuz, and Charlotte came up with the idea to have our own service. Charlotte, Steph, and I were the choir, Wuz did the prayer, and I was the preacher. My grandmother let us do this craziness and she just smiled watching us.

Or the time we went fishing down at the Potomac and she let us jump in the water. Her son Bobby jumped in the water and lost his keys to his car. We had to wait for Teresa to come and bring the spare key.

She would practice her songs that she had to lead on Sunday. My grandmother could sing and I could listen to her sing all day.

I remember the Red Van she had and my Uncle Boo got his leg caught in the door or something.

I remember the Green Van and the many rides down to Brandywine or the time we got snowed in down at Aunt Essie's house.

Grandma there are so many memories I could share, and I know I wasn't the best grandson always, and I had my selfish moments, but I'm so glad I got a chance to tell you I love you before you left, I'm so glad for you letting me come to your Bible Studies or you taking us to church all the time. I thank you for teaching me about life and for buying us 10 cent Popsicles from Black's corner store on I Street. I thank you for driving me and my date to my 8th grade prom and I'm so thankful for you telling me I could be anything I wanted to be.

The tears I shed as I write this is not only of sadness, but happiness too. I know that you are sleeping right now, but I hope that your dreams are filled with the happiest moments you've experienced, prayers for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, family....I hope that most of all you're dreaming of the day that you get to meet your Savior. And I hope to God that I make it there too.

I love you with all my heart and this is just a small tribute to your memory.