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July 13, 2011

Guest Post Series ~ Angela Jones of Joneses Keeper

*“No One Like Her”*


There is no one on the planet like my grandma.

Growing up, Granny lived about 500 miles from me in a small city in
Tennessee, but my parents always made sure that we visited her at least
five times a year.  She would always greet me with a hug and a smile, smelling
like a cross between peppermint and Bounce fabric softener, and ask me
how school was going and how I was doing in my extracurricular activities.
One of my favorite parts about our visits would be when she would make me
breakfast.  Everyone else selected cereal or fruit—something easy to fix,
but Granny would prepare a special breakfast consisting of toast with
grape jam, bacon and scrambled eggs (my parents certainly did not fix me bacon
on the regular growing up).  Plus, she would put orange juice in a limited
edition Smuckers Tom and Jerry (cartoon characters for those who know
about Dora these days) jar saved just for me.  Needless to say, I felt so
special.

She continued making me feel special as I got older.  When I graduated
from graduate school, she gave her physician my graduation invitation and
insisted he put it on the patients’ wall next to her picture.

When I got married, Granny gave me the following invaluable advice:  “Own
your marriage, cherish your marriage, and beyond love, remember to like
and respect each other.”

The last time I was at her home, we slept in the same bed (apparently,
 she was also running a bed and breakfast for my cousins who surprised her
 with their presence that weekend) and talked about everything.  Her life (a
 full one), my grandfather (the love of her life who tamed her), her regrets
 (don’t believe in them) and her children (apparently my mother was a
 spitfire—so that’s where I got it from).

I write all this with a heavy heart because right now, Granny is very sick. And I’m sad because admittedly, I haven’t seen her in over a year and we’vespoken much less than we used to.  She told me she understood being a new mom and all, but to me there’s no excuse.

Her illness makes me realize that life, and all the idiosyncrasies with
it, can be fleeting.  And what’s more, it makes me want to continue to record
her history—my history.

To any of you who have cherished memories of elders and family members, I
urge you to take the time to catalogue their life.  Take pictures, record
videos, document birthdays, weddings, baptisms, family reunions.
Scrapbook old photographs and documents;  Prepare a genealogy tree or memory books
with your children so that they learn about the fabric of their
family—the significance behind those who came before them.  Record all the little
things so you can remember them long after their over.  Because at the end of the day, it really is all about the little things.

 *What ways do you cherish your loved ones?  How do you honor your history
with your elders in your family?  Do you take the time to hold those meaningful to you close to your heart?*

This lovely post was written by Angela Jones of the blog Joneses Keeper.


Learn more about Angela by reading her very interesting bio.

*Note from Bellflower Books:  This post reminds me so much of my own grandmother!  A year ago my large extended family worked together to create a Bellflower Book for her full of favorite memories and letters of love and appreciation.  My Grandma looks through the book daily.  It is something we will be able to share with our children and treasure forever!  I agree so much with Angela, it is extremely important to record and memorialize the amazing people in our lives who have given us our history!

8 comments:

  1. Angela, beautiful post. I'm so sorry to hear that your Grandmother is not well. Love and light to her and you. And yes, a Bellflower Book would be a perfect gift for her! To me, it's a memory book. It's a love book. And she sure sounds like a lady who more than deserves one.

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  2. Your Granny sounds like a beautiful lady. A book is a great way to preserve memories. I'm sorry to hear that she is ill.

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  3. Thanks Heather and Kerry for the opportunity. I hope I've done you proud!

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  4. Thank you Alison and Evonne for the lovely comments. Granny was touch and go, but I am glad to report that she is doing better!

    Angela

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  5. I'm so sorry to hear that your granny is sick. I live far away from my grandparents so it's hard to find time to visit with them. It's difficult when our lives get busy and we can't spend as much time with our loved ones as we want to.

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  6. Angela, Beautiful post! Cherish her in every way that you can. I learned this lesson too late. I no longer have any living grandparents, and I often wish I had did more with them and for them.
    xoxo

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  7. Thank you Jessica and Optimistic Mom. It is very difficult to not be there with her all the time. I did get to visit her over the Independence Day Break. That was great for all of us!

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  8. My grandmother smells like peppermint & bounce too! OMG!

    I live 4 hours from my grandparents, but I try to go see them every chance I get.

    Sounds like your grandmother is one awesome lady!

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