a double dose of greatness

every once in a while i take a look at this one life i've been given

and i'm left speechless and teary at how utterly spoiled i've been

this week i had one of those moments when i took stock of it all and came to the humbling realization that "thank you" falls about fifty million miles short

for thirty years, i have known my father's father's mother

she held me as a baby

chased me as a toddler

listened to my chatterings as i grew

played cards with me for pennies when i should have been in bed

fed me nutter butters by the box-ful

kept her candy dish full of jelly beans just in case i'd stop for a visit

told me i was beautiful when i was an awkward teenager

cheered me on

watched me graduate....get a degree....walk down the aisle

lucky, lucky me

add to that the priceless moment when i placed my daughter in her lap

grandma raised five boys, so snuggling a little girl was always a special treat :)

these two ladies - such big, central pieces in the puzzle of my life...
 they won't remember that day, but i will

i will remember what it feels like to watch someone full of years adore a life brand new

i will remember how there were no words between the two of them...but then again, sometimes words just get in the way

i will remember thinking about the passing of a torch - five generations living under the light of her flame

i will remember how rare a thing it is in this life to have a great-great

a double great

someone who isn't just great....but super great

i got to witness them being that for each other
and just the thought of it puts me in a waterfall of gratitude that brings me to my knees

on saturday, my great-grandmother had her last heartbeat on earth, closed her 98-year-old eyes and sashayed her way into the presence of the One and Only

oh, how i wish i could see what she sees

my heart is aching to know what she knows

i'm so happy for her

so.unbelievably.happy

i don't understand why it all happened the way it did

but i'm crying happy tears tonight

as the wise and wonderful winnie the pooh once said:  "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying 'good-bye' so hard."