So…my grandmother (we all call her Mimi) passed away Sunday night; and having had a close relationship with her, I’ve been feeling very sad and also nostalgic. Growing up just through the woods (I literally walked through the woods down the “path” to get to her house) made for the majority of my memories from childhood. Summers (and sick days) were filled with mornings at Mimi’s eating cereal and bananas and watching Price is Right at 11 a.m. By the way, nothing is more medicinal than Mimi, Price is Right and chicken noodle soup when you’re sick. She gave me unlimited access to the sugar for the breakfast bran flakes, for which I am forever grateful. Her excuse for over-serving us kids with food was “they’re growing boys” (even though I was a chubby kid who could use a stint with the Atkins Diet).
But, as I’ve gotten older, my perception of Mimi has changed from a woman who cooked me some of my most memorable meals and who tolerated the grandkids’ perpetual mischievousness to something more substantive. Although those are great things and most of what my memory of her from childhood is, it just touched the surface of what kind of person she was.
She believed in values, character, family and tolerance over everything else in life. She was a soft-spoken woman (outside of the family of course!) who didn’t wear her emotions on her sleeve. She was a strong Christian woman who didn’t talk about her faith much, but she didn’t have to. She lived it. That’s more than most of us can say about ourselves.
Her generation amazes me in their toughness, both emotionally and physically. I’m embarrassed to admit I come from the MTV generation. Instead of out plowing the fields, we’re inside watching The Hills. Hopefully we can turn it around though. If we have even a fraction of the drive and character this WWII generation did, including Mimi, I think we’d be doing alright. I hope I make Mimi proud. I love you always.
3 Comments
June 4, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Josh,
Your words are more profound than you know! As I read I laughed, cried and more and more memories poured through my mind of your grandmother. Then I laughed even more. I needed that today. It’s been a hard week as we prepare to send off two very precious women. You are so right though. Our parents (your grandparents) ARE the greatest generation. What lessons they have taught us and lives that they lived. The examples they set for each of us…..my word. May God help us emulate them and raise our grandchildren (your children) in their ways. Hang in there kiddo. The pain will ease (some days more than others) but, the memories never do. In fact, you will find more and more. Keep writing them down and one day maybe you can write version II of The Greatest Generation. Much love babe and Taco Soup whenever you want it! Always, Ms Nancy
June 5, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Hey man, sorry to hear it. I’ll be praying for you and the fam. It’s good, though, to know when good folks have lived good lives. That’s inspiring. Makes me want to be that kind of person.
June 8, 2009 at 11:43 am
Josh – I’m so sorry to hear about Mimi, but know she’s not sorry at all! I only met her once, but smile everytime I think about her on that first day of college for you and Ryan with her camera and it sounds like she could make a mean pound cake! I think your generation has greatly benefitted from having that generation of grandparents! Thanks for sharing her with us in this tribute.