Peace

Painting by Mary Taylor

I am behind once again.

Grandma Mary passed away last Friday. She had stopped eating and drinking the week before so we knew it would just be a matter of time. I got to spend the week with my Aunt Merle. She is so fun to shop with and eat sushi with. Being around her also reminds me why I want to be a teacher and hopefully that day will soon come where I have my own classroom. We spent one evening telling stories and playing string tricks until midnight as we watched over grandma. Good times and good memories.

Family came in and out of our house for a week. People coming to visit and say their goodbyes to Grandma. I cooked up a storm and made sure there was comfort food for any one who needed something rich or sweet. I even made Grandma's lemon meringue pie with homemade pie crust. That seemed to brighten up a few family members (especially my brother who did not want to share!)

As sad as it is to lose someone in this life, this was a good and positive release. Grandma had not been doing very well for the last 5+ years. Her short term memory was not really existent and the most heart breaking day was when she could not remember her son, (Morris, my dad). She needed constant care and so many pills that matched the colors of the rainbow.

After her passing on Friday morning around 3 AM, he family made the various needed phone calls and took some much needed naps. Friday evening we all (Lavan's family, my family, mom, dad, and Aunt Merle) gathered at my dad's house for dinner. We ate outside and had all of the kids running around chasing the cats. My dad and Aunt Merle played with the kids, tossing tennis balls around and laughed to their heart's content. As the sun set and it started getting darker, I kept glancing at my dad's face. Relief and peace poured from him, something I hadn't seen in years. Having the patriarch of the family so peaceful and composed seems to really calm all the family members around them.