In Honor of Grandmothers

I would like to take a moment and honor grandmothers. This past month as we have celebrated Mother’s Day as well as the passing of my husband’s beloved grandmother, I have contemplated the magnificent lives of these women. These women sent husbands off to war not knowing if or when they would return. They were able to make do with very little, but always seemed to have enough to share. They sewed, danced, grew gardens, played the piano, sang and took elocution lessons. Life was harder for them than it is for my generation, but they didn’t complain, they just kept moving forward. Their children had diseases like measles, mumps, rubella and chicken pox. They feared polio and cheered for the miracle of antibiotics. They kept their families together through thick and thin and made it seem effortless. Their examples of love and service have endeared them to each member of their family.

As I think of all the luxuries and conveniences that our grandmothers did not have, I really am in awe of all that they accomplished. They had to work very hard to accomplish some of the same tasks that literally take me minutes to do now. I think this hard work is where they learned to be the wonderful women that they were and are. In some regards my generation has lost the fine art of working hard and patience.

We now live in a world of on demand. Case in point…. As we were traveling to Arizona to attend the funeral of my husband’s grandmother, he and I were reminiscing about an album we loved as kids. No more than two minutes later it was purchased on my iPhone through iTunes and we were singing to it happily.

Believe me; I’m very grateful for technology and all its wonderment. But, I’m even more grateful for the wonders of hardworking and patient grandmothers who have taught us what really matters most and how to get a job done well.

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