Ma...My Grandmother

Grandmothers, some say they are like angels in training and they are not wrong.  This describes my grandmother to a T.

Today I promised to write about my grandmother a truly amazing woman.  Born 1921 in Guyana, South America.  That's her pictured with some of her grandkids, also with my sister giving her a manicure.  She loves pretty nails and loves them red.  

At the very tender age of 40  (black and white picture) she became a widow with 11 children to raise all by herself the year was 1961.

My grandmother whom we call Ma has been a great influence in my life and in the lives of my 4 sisters.  You see when my parents decided to leave Guyana in search for a better life for all of us it was my grandmother who took care of us.  With her already 11 children she did not hesitate to take on 4 more.   My sisters and I ranged from ages 1 to 4 years.  

Life was difficult for her but we never felt it because she sheltered us from the harshness of the world and, let me tell you the world can be harsh at that age without your parents.   While most kids our age had their parents to protect them and to worry about them we had our grandmother. 

Ma sacrificed her life for  her children and for her grandkids.  When most women her age were still enjoying their lives she was busy rasing all of us.  Ma never remarried a decision she says she has not regretted because she has reaped the benefit of seeing all her children do well.  She has over 30 grandchildren, and over 20 great grandchildren. 

In many ways my grandmother is fortunate because she has met most of them.  In other ways we are the lucky ones because we are able to enjoy her company and her wisdom.

It is amazing her wisdom.  At her age one would think that Ma's thoughts belong to a time long ago but not true.  For instance, she lost her husband when she was 40.  My first husband also died when I was very young.  Believe it or not sometimes I talk to my grandmother and all of a sudden the age between us does not matter....it just disappears and our conversation just flows.  She relives some of her past through me and I find comfort through her words.

She is not judgemental.....not to say she does not have strong opinions.  That she does and it just makes her even more interesting. 

When most of her children and grandchildren left to persue their own lives Ma decided to move to Canada where some of her children also lived.  Imagine leaving a tropical country for bitter cold Canada winters.  That she did without complaining.

She lived on her own because as she said she did not want to be a burden to her children.  Today at the age of 89 she is as sharp as a tack and still lives by herself.

Granted she is slower in her movements and everything takes much longer than it did she still manages to do just about everything.  She loves to watch the news.  If there is somehing going on in any part of the world she will know it before it happens.

I love her and I would have loved if she were able to read because today she could have read my blog and would be happy to know that I don't mind telling the world that she is unique, she is one of a kind and that I am extemely grateful for everything she has done for me and for my sisters.

Grandmother-grandchild relationships are simple. Grandmas are short on criticism and long on love.

until next time...