A Pivotal Moment In My Life

The loss of a loved one is always an impactful event for most people, but for the loss of my grandmother was a pivotal moment in my life. She was my friend, my teacher, but most importantly, she was my rock. Her name was Gloria, she was the mother to not only my mother but my two aunts as well. She lost her husband in 1988 when her daughters were still young, she was forced to provide for them alone. Her ambition for working hard and doing what needed to be done was inspiring. The commitment she had to her family was like no other, always putting the needs of others before her own. We had mornings where I would go sit with her on the front porch, drinking coffee for hours that passed like minutes. I never knew how important those conversations would be until I was not able to have them anymore. My grandmother was hands down the most

They say unfortunate things in life happen for a reason, and it’s taken me a while to understand what that really means. I now find myself going back to all the simple sayings she used to say, and all the important lessons she taught me almost every day. She is the reason I no longer complain about the trivial mishaps in life because there is always someone out there who has it worse. I find myself instead being thankful that I have the strength to persevere through the tough moments in my life. I take time to relish in the small moments, like my children saying mommy 400 times a day, or wanting to be rocked to sleep every night. When I find myself getting stressed in these moments I hear her reminding me that these are the memories that matter. That it will not be long before they will not need me,