Granny

My husband’s grandmother came to stay with us a few weeks ago.  Her home in New Orleans, destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, is being rebuilt.  Granny celebrated her 92nd birthday this year.  She’s really a 92-year old with a 75-year old mind and body.  And she has been a joy to have around.

Now I won’t kid you.  I have another dependent to care for.  She’s more independent than you would expect for her age, but still needs attention and care.  She’s a social person, and mainly needs a sense of companionship and purpose.  The kids instantly fell in love with her, and she has a soothing presence in the house.

I watch with wonder as she observes and processes life going on around her.  She’s always curious, always observant and always thinking.  I find that she looks for the positive in everything.  “DC is a beautiful city with all the trees.” She has style.  (We had to go get her a new pair of sandals two weeks ago — “nothing too flat, just a little heel”.)  She takes care of herself.  (We went and got a manicure last week.  “Where do you go to get your nails done?  The polish wore off mine.”)

Now, I have to imagine that, at the age of 92, I would not want to live in a household with three young kids — especially my rather spirited young ones.  But somehow, my kids are never bad in her eyes, though often smart, busy and active.  The little one has stolen her heart.  “He has the cutest smile,” she says.  “He threw that book and hit me in the head, then gave me the sweetest smile.” Ahh, she has quickly adapted to life with Stitch!  Maybe she puts on a good front for me, but I’ve never heard her complain and always find her pleasant to be around.

This isn’t the first time Granny has stayed with us.  She came to help me seven years ago after I gave birth to my oldest son.  She had more pep in her step then, and pitched in and helped out wherever she could.

She also lived with us for a month when she evacuated after Hurricane Katrina.  A week or so after she arrived, my daughter R. was born.  Granny cooked almost every day and helped out however she could.

Granny doesn’t cook as much anymore; she’s slowed down quite a bit.  She made cupcakes for the kids and forgot the milk.  They didn’t notice.  Her lamb was a little tough, but VERY tasty.  And the gumbo, well, she kind of forgot to make it.  Granny makes me laugh on the inside — she’ll never ask for anything directly, but has a way of letting you know what she wants.  (“You think the baby wants to eat some grits and eggs today?” she’ll ask. Absolutely, I’m sure he does, I answer, and pull out the grits.)

Granny’s spirit is still pleasant.  She still LOVES to go, go, go (though at a much slower pace!) and always wants to be helpful.  She buys groceries, shops for herself when she can, exercises every day and generally handles her business.  There’s a lot that we can learn from this 92-year old.

I read a great quote once in one of my favorite books, The Power of Attitude, that embodies Granny’s spirit:

“In the center of your heart and my heart, there is a wireless station; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from God, so long are you young.”

And thus, at 92 years old, Granny is still young.