Life At 102. My Timeless BFF
Last weekend I went to see my Grandma Sauvage. I called her to let her know I was coming the day before. She lives in an assisted living community in a suburb of Seattle. Next month she will be 102 years old. When I went in to see her I noticed her hair was very greasy. This is what happens when you are 102, taking a shower on your own becomes more of a chore. I wish the staff at the assisted living place where she lives would say something or help her out more, but I knew my aunt was on her way to visit so maybe she would notice and say something about it. (wishful thinking?) Its really not my place to say anything since my grandmother has 5 living adult children who look after her. Overall she is well cared for and smiles a lot. She said she was blessed and had not pain.
I love my grandmother and don't see her as just an older woman who used to make pies. She was much more than that. I spent a lot of one on one time with her from childhood through adulthood. The cookies with milk over the years turned into deep conversations about God, the Meaning of Life, and everything in between. Our conversations over the past two decades have been inspiring, helpful and amazing. As a middle child I often got lost in the midst of the normal family chaos and my Grandma filled that void by making me feel special when I was with her.
I remember the first time I sank into a funk when I was 19 years old. I was taking summer courses at Washington State University and living alone in an off campus apartment. For some reason I was very lonely and sank into a deep dark canyon for several weeks. I called her, she was the one who told me the things I needed to hear to help me out of my depression. When I was laid up in the hospital in Beverly Hills in 2005 after a massive infection due to an appendix rupture, I would call her once a day from my hospital bed. She was the one who helped me feel hopeful instead of hopeless as I waited for my health to improve.
I have had various girlfriends over the years that ceased to exist due to a new relationship, a silly squabble, leaving a church, marriage, etc...but my Grandma Sauvage was always my friend year after year, regardless of my social or financial status. Even today, she can't hear very well, but our friendship is still the same. We can talk about anything under the sun and the love is timeless.
I am very lucky to have had this type of love and friendship in my lifetime. Everyone loves their grandparents but not every grandparent is your timeless BFF.
I love my grandmother and don't see her as just an older woman who used to make pies. She was much more than that. I spent a lot of one on one time with her from childhood through adulthood. The cookies with milk over the years turned into deep conversations about God, the Meaning of Life, and everything in between. Our conversations over the past two decades have been inspiring, helpful and amazing. As a middle child I often got lost in the midst of the normal family chaos and my Grandma filled that void by making me feel special when I was with her.
I remember the first time I sank into a funk when I was 19 years old. I was taking summer courses at Washington State University and living alone in an off campus apartment. For some reason I was very lonely and sank into a deep dark canyon for several weeks. I called her, she was the one who told me the things I needed to hear to help me out of my depression. When I was laid up in the hospital in Beverly Hills in 2005 after a massive infection due to an appendix rupture, I would call her once a day from my hospital bed. She was the one who helped me feel hopeful instead of hopeless as I waited for my health to improve.
I have had various girlfriends over the years that ceased to exist due to a new relationship, a silly squabble, leaving a church, marriage, etc...but my Grandma Sauvage was always my friend year after year, regardless of my social or financial status. Even today, she can't hear very well, but our friendship is still the same. We can talk about anything under the sun and the love is timeless.
I am very lucky to have had this type of love and friendship in my lifetime. Everyone loves their grandparents but not every grandparent is your timeless BFF.
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| My Grandma Sauvage (102) and I, November 2013, Seattle, WA (I was having a bad hair day) |
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