My dear grandmother, who has been battling cancer since last November, hit a downturn a couple of days before I got back, and yesterday she peacefully slipped into Paradise.
And so it has been a Christmas of many sad moments.
But, many times, the moments have been sad in a beautiful way.
I don’t know if there’s anything my Grandma loved more than having her family together, and we have all been here during these last days. And in that way, it has been beautiful—being together, talking about old memories, holding her hand, having time to say goodbye. And, for that, we are very thankful.
In my last post, the one from before I came home, I wrote about how important it is to live fully wherever we are in this world as we joyfully prepare ourselves for the next.
I tend to have trouble doing this, but, in my Grandma, I was blessed to have a wonderful example of someone who was able to do both. In life, she praised God, loved others well, and showed compassion for the poor and forgotten. And in death, she was brave and peaceful as she opened her arms wide to take the hand of Jesus.
And, though we are sad, we rejoice because she is Home.
We will miss you, Grandma, but you will be in our hearts always.
