The Women in My Life

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I have spent significant time with many women in my life. First, was the time with my mother. Caring for her and just being around her has affected me greatly. There were many things to learn from her. Due to her health issues, I would sometimes need to spend extended time with relatives. This brought time with my grandmothers into my life.

I was always fascinated by their stories growing up and generally by how they lived at the time when I was visiting. Both women were similar yet so different. My one grandmother collected everything. She had a miniature village set up and many antiques and trinkets that she picked up from her regular excursions to the flea markets. My other grandmother was always baking something: pies, bread, nut roll, etc. They both grew up on farms and had stories to tell about the funny things that happened. The grandmother with the miniatures moved from the farm to city life, while the baking grandmother remained in a farming atmosphere.

Due to my mother’s health issues, I spent part of a school year in the country. There are pictures of me entering and exiting the bus. Additionally, this was also the time of the infamous haircut that involved my grandfather. Who knew that if you screamed enough when he combed your hair that he would take you to the barber and the nice man would cut it off for you. Then you could be mistaken for a boy and never forget that experience, but I digress.

Time spent with one grandmother would consist of cooking in the kitchen or learning to sew (never got good at that) or helping out around the farm. Time spent with the other grandmother would consist of playing Canasta, eating hot buttered popcorn and having too much fun staying up too late. Fear not, there is another infamous story dealing with this grandmother. Being the curious person that I am, I loved checking out her perfume. She had many bottles, and I liked to smell them. I found a new bottle on her dresser and proceeded to take a long sniff. The horror!! My grandmother let me know after she heard me howling that I had opened her smelling salts! I was very cautious around her perfume after that.

What has been the most interesting about my life and these women is that we had the opportunity to come full circle. They tended to me when I was young, and then I got to return the favor when I became an adult. I took care of my mother off and on my whole life until she passed. I came to help my country grandmother when I was getting my life back together after difficult times. I ended with my city grandmother when macular degeneration and health issues hindered her ability to fully care for herself. For my country grandmother, it might have been more comic relief that I was around, but she still needed help, and I was more than happy to pay her back.

I had the opportunity to observe their lives, their loves, and their perseverance in the face of adversity, their laughter, their smiles, and the very essence that embodied them. I have been positively changed by each of them and do not have a single regret about our time together. They have helped shape me into the person I am today. I am grateful to have known them.