on friday, i read this (well, the italicized part) at my grandmother's funeral. it was hastily written and poorly delivered. but, it was enough for the day. i love you, grandy.
(this picture makes me smile. we both just look so .. bright. she has forever-hot-pink lips that are brought out further by her shirt [i can assure you, the day before she passed away, her lips were still beautifully pink]. and i have swimmers' shoulders and blonde hair. and, of course, we are sitting on her floridian furniture, which could [i say this honestly] not have been more appropriately placed in her philadelphian home.)
~*~
"Do you see God in everyone? Despite our brokenness, one of our greatest gifts as humans is that we reflect our Creator’s image inherently, and that we can teach each other God just by being who we are.
Now, if you asked my grandmother how she reflected God, my hunch is that she’d say something along the lines of, “Well, my stunning good looks have God written all over them—have you seen the portrait of me with those gorgeous golden locks?”
Or, maybe when *you* think of how Grandy was God-like, you immediately come to her no-less-than-divine ability to read a 300 page novel in about .. 300 seconds.
And, there was the fact that she had this ability to listen patiently to you, without ever really demanding attention herself.
In the chapter 11 of the Gospel of John, Martha and Mary’s brother Lazarus dies. Martha begs of Him, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” But, Jesus was there. Of all things Christ was, His quality of being “there” is undeniable. This was our Emmanuel, our God who came down to find us, to be with us. He demonstrated this a few short verses later in the well-known verse: “Jesus wept.” Though we cannot be sure the cause of Jesus’ tears, we do know that, because he was there, He was deeply moved to raw emotion. Our Christ was with them.
Upon contemplating all of the many things Grandy taught me, I realized that one aspect of God she constantly showed was the art of being there. She patiently met you where you were. Of course, that being said, at my graduation she did develop the nickname “the wandering grandma” after we couldn’t find her for at least 45 minutes. But, despite what it may seem, I think this may be the truest demonstration of her 'being there.' While I took pictures and laughed with my friends, she unassumingly waited for me. She walked around the campus, met people, and even got herself something to eat. Even when she wasn’t there physically, she was there for us. She, like Christ, knew the simple joy of just being where you were.
Aside from this quality, she demonstrated many other facets of God’s character. I am quite sure that few people will pour out gifts on me like my grandmother did. And, you could know her for years, and one day ask if she knew anything about doll-making for your colonial days project. Then a few hours later she would reveal her completely hidden talent by presenting you with a beautiful doll for you to show off in school the next day.
And then, well, there was her …perhaps more human side. I feel these things warrant sharing as well. One day, my grandma, around the age of 80, decided that boogie boarding was obviously for her. I remember watching her wrestle the waves, thinking I had to have the coolest grandmother around. And there was last year, when she and my mom and I spent a weekend at the beach, what was her drank of choice? Scotch. Straight. And even last week, I told her I was reading an article about economic theory that I didn’t quite understand, and even in her weakness, she lost no ability to tell it like it is: “It stinks!” she proclaimed from her bed. Candid, witty, blunt. That was her.
And so today, while she is not with us physically, she is with us. As we go to be with each other, let us carry and delight in the pieces of us that are forever changed because she was, and is, with us."
~*~
and now, i am going to go sing in the shower. because that is right for this day.
