Grandma Woode

Today would have been my Grandma's 99th Birthday.  Even though she has been gone for twelve years now, it is still hard to believe that life carries on without her.  I can honestly say that I would not be the person that I am today had it not been for my Grandma, she had such a profound influence on my life and in shaping who I became that I feel as though she is a part of the fabric of my being.

My Grandma was one of the most loving, selfless, giving, gentle women I have ever met in my life.  She was constantly thinking of ways to help others and had the most generous heart.  I can think of a thousand examples of ways that she showed her love to others by meeting their needs at times when they needed it the most.  Her love was bottomless for both our family and those in her life.  I can think of no better person to model myself after, she was one of the happiest people you'd ever meet simply because she gleaned so much joy from helping others.

 
I was fortunate enough to grow up having my Grandma live a block away from us, so I have a million memories of times spent with Grandma baking, picking berries, going for walks, or just sitting and chatting with her.  When I left home and moved to the city, she faithfully hand wrote me long letters once every few weeks and reading them was like sitting down to have a conversation with her.  Now that she is gone, those letters are one of the most precious things that I own.  Twelve years later, I have yet to get through one letter without tears rolling down my cheeks and an ache in my heart at how much I miss my Grandma.  I will truly never stop missing her or loving her.  I can only hope that I can honour her by carrying her legacy on and instilling some of her being in my daughter, what a gift to the world that would be!

This memory box is filled with all of the most precious possessions that I have of my Grandma.  A stack of the letters that she sent, countless birthday cards, the crushed velvet hat and bow that she wore on her wedding day and her wedding ring.  A few small tokens of a lifetime of memories that I carry with me in my heart of my beloved Grandma.

Happy Birthday Grandma, I will always love you!  xo