Letters For Lucas

Wonders, Mishaps, Blunders and Joy.. commentary on my life as a mom in the form of letters to my son

Dear Grandma Honey

Posted on Written by

I’m honored to have Monique, better known on Twitter as SurferWife here today with a tender letter to her dearly departed Grandma Honey.

After reading this, be sure to visit Monique’s blog, A Day in the Life of a Surferwife and search for “celebrity encounter”. You’ll be glad you did!

Dear Grandma Honey,

Just those first three words up above create a pit in my stomach and a clenching in my throat. How do I even begin to express my gratitude and appreciation for all that you have brought to my life?

Even though you were ALuckyDame of A Beautiful Mess and also my husband’s maternal grandmother, you were still my grandma, too, in all aspects of the name. Considering I met and started loving you when I was a mere 12 years old, gives us more time spent together than I ever had with either of my own biological grandmothers, that both passed when I was a teen.

Your cute, fluffy little white hair, high pitched, little grandma voice, your happy smile and warm eyes were all crucial pieces in you becoming everybody’s adopted Grandma Honey.

From the day I met you and Grandpa Bud, more than 22 years ago, I felt an instant connection. I always felt like you genuinely cared about me and my well being. When I went off to college, I eagerly awaited your cute handmade and hand stamped holiday cards. At any family gathering, I could count on you sitting me down and asking me about every element of my life. Your many questions about what I was eating and why I was so skinny, if there were any suitable boys to date, and if I did my homework always left me with a smile on my face and a giggle in my heart.

When I came home nine years ago with my sweet baby boy Jason, you showered him with gifts and welcomed him into your life with open arms. That alone meant more than the world to me and I hope you knew that, Grandma.

And then when your beloved grandson and I announced to the world that we were an item a couple years later, you and Grandpa Bud gave your blessing and told me what a perfect match we were, and why didn’t we figure this out years before when we were kids?

We celebrated the birth of your first great-grandchild, my daughter, on the day you buried your husband. It was an honor to be such a crucial component on a day that encompassed the circle  of life for you. I could see the love and admiration in your eyes every time Haley reached a milestone. Just pure and unconditional love between a grandmother and her great-granddaughter.

Our time we spent together these past six years, when I legitimately became your granddaughter through marriage, is invaluable to me. Our long chats over McDonald’s ice cream, nutty bars and many lunch outings always left me so satiated and grateful to have a grandma that was loved by so many. The bond we shared will leave an eternal smile and place in my soul.

My heart hurts terribly knowing our conversation full of giggles and gossip have come to an end on this earth. But I hold tightly to the notion that we will do it again  in another universe, Grandma. Thank you for loving me the way you did. I feel like the luckiest granddaughter-in-law ever for it.

Delphine Long - September 26, 1919 - September 18, 2011

Related Posts:

Comments

  1. Oh Monique…this made me both smile AND tear up. She was one of a kind… and what an awesome letter.

  2. What a heartstrings-pulling post! It made me remember my dad’s mom. Wish that she was still with us and for my children to have gotten to know her too – but like you said, maybe…in another universe, another time they will.

  6. Such a sweet letter. I’m sure that you already know this but you were incredibly lucky to have her in your life. She sounds like an amazing woman…. open, honest, loving, and above all accepting.

  7. Lovely letter. I’m glad you got to be a part of my Grandma’s life. She’ll always be in our hearts. It’s an end of era for me and my heart has a huge, stitched up hole on it. I miss her voice so much. She was everything I ever wanted to be in life.

    • Yes, her voice. Hearing her ask me, “So, what’s new?” or “What’d you do all day?” or “What’s a brazillian wax?” was the best.

      • Yep, silly girl. That was her. My favorite was getting the call at work ‘I need some crack-filler. I’ve got a big ol’ crack.’

        *Note for everyone: I work in the asphalt paving industry so that comment makes more sense.

  8. Oh.

    So very sad.

    I had a grandmother who I just adored.

    When she died, I remember thinking, “shit, I thought I knew what a broken heart was before? I had NO IDEA. I do now…”

  11. So so sweet. I never knew my own grandmother’s – wish I had someone to tell me stories from the ‘olden days’ as my kids call them. Sorry for your loss, hon.

  12. This has me completely teary eyed here. To have that bond with a grandparent is so very special. I’m glad you were able to spend your time with her.

  13. My first thought was “Oh, I wish I had a grandma like that” and then I remember I did, because Grandma Honey had a mother, Grandma Fink aka Freada who was my grandma. They were cut from the same mold….two wonderful women who lived in my life for many years. I find comfort knowing that this huge loss I feel is also felt by many, including you Monique. She loved you. She loved us all.

  14. This gives me chills and I’m so extremely happy that you were in her heart and she in yours. She sounds like a lovely woman.

  15. That was so beautiful. I’m so sorry for your loss. its clear you all had wonderful relationships with her. Xoxo

  16. Oh, how sad! But also beautiful. Having a grandmother-in-law like that would be so great. My husband and I are both sadly lacking in grandparents – mine are gone, and his were not only far away but he only has one left. I would have loved to have an extra grandparent like that.

    Sorry for your loss, but how lovely that you had her.

  17. I’m so glad I stopped by to read this.. M is one of my favorite people & my heart was so sad for her while going through this.

  19. This letter is so touching. It’s beautiful and sad all at the same time. Losing someone so incredible and important in her life is not easy and my heart knows her sorrow.

BlogWithIntegrity.com

What I Write About

a mother's guilt annoyances aunt leah birthdays blog books challenges conversations with Lucas DMB exercise family friends grandparents gratitude grief guest post holidays KRA Letters For You list loss love mama kat's writer's workshop memories me time milestones motherhood MSA NaBloPoMo parenthood parenting photos praise pregnancy2 question quotes SAHM school siblings simple joys TBW TDA bio travel update writing

Creative Kristi Designs