My Grandmother

This is my grandmother, doing what she loves...and that's in the kitchen cooking up the good eats. My grandma has feed many hungry souls from that stove she is standing at in the picture. Not only did you get a good meal, but you would receive a blessings as well. My Grandmother was not ashamed to let others know how good God is.

It's this time of year when I think of her most, I can feel her spirit. I use to call her almost everyday, sometimes I would call just to hear her voice. Everytime she answered the phone she would say, "Hey Charlene, how you doing?" I can still hear her laughter as we talked about silly things. When she died, I felt like a part of me left. It has been 12 years since her death, I still feel like I haven't recovered from her passing. I miss her so much, her words of wisdom, her encouraging words, her strengths, her passionate thoughts she shared on family and relationships. When I feel myself forgetting things she would say, I start reciting our conversations that we once had to refresh the memory. I remember when I first found out I was preganant. I don't know how she knew, but she called me and said "do you have something to tell me?"

When I was about 10 or 11, my brother and I got to go live with my grandparents. I must say it was like going to bootcamp. For some reason I thought I could challenge my grandmother. Just like bootcamp, my grandmother broke me down and then built me up. My grandmother introduced me to God, she taught me how to pray, and how to turn to the Lord in time of need.

Sometimes I find myself doing things the way she would do them, I look at my hands to see if they resemble hers, I sit and meditate on our quiet moments we once shared.

While I was in DC last month, I got to visit with 3 of my Aunts, and a warm feeling went over me. Memories rushed over me, as I saw a piece of my grandmother in each one them. Grandma was right, there is nothing like being around family. To be around the roots of who you are and where you came from. When I am in the mist of my family, I see myself. The joy of being with family is a blessing.

I love you Grandma.