95
My Grandma turns 95 today - wow - that is old. She is my last surviving grandparent and is sitting out her remaining days on this earth in a nursing home in Central Illinois. Unfortunately, in the last five years of so, she has seen serious dementia set in and is really no longer "with us" in the traditional sense. That being said, her dementia is a happy one and when you go to visit she talks endlessly about gardening she has done during the day, cake baking, car trips, etc. - none of which actually transpired. However, she is happy and that is all that matters - despite how painful it is for those who love her to see her this way.
She was one of my favorite people when I was growing up - that special bond between a little gay boy and his grandma is a special one. I was very fortunate that my grandparents were so involved in my life. We all lived in the same area and would see each other at least once a week if not more.
So, 95 - she was born in 1910 - exactly 60 years before me. Only 10 years into a new century that is now over. I cannot help but think about the fundamental change she witnessed during her 95 years. She was born into abject poverty in a coal mining town outside of St. Louis. I remember going to visit my Great Grandma in the house where my Grandma grew up. It was a company house - the coal mining company had built and owned the whole town. It was a pretty miserable place, however, we loved it as kids. It had such strange and fascinating items as a cistern, a summer kitchen (a separate structure used for cooking in the scorching Midwestern summers), and only a toilet with no shower or bath inside (this was a 1960's enhancement as prior to that there was an outhouse). Quite opposite from the life I was born into with indoor plumbing, air conditioning, etc.
It is interesting to compare where my Grandma was at in various points of her life versus my life. I can only imagine what her 35th birthday was like. World War II had just ended. My Grandpa had avoided the draft due to a heart problem, but spent the war building tanks at a local factory. I wonder if rationing had ended by then? Did she splurge on sugar and flour and make a cake? Was it a scorching hot day without any air conditioning? Whatever, the case, her life was worlds apart from mine.
However, we were fortunate enough to share a significant amount of time together and, even more importantly, created a special bond between the two of us. So, happy 95th birthday Grandma. Even though I do not get to see you that often (and even when I do you think I am your long dead brother), I think of you often and love you very much.
She was one of my favorite people when I was growing up - that special bond between a little gay boy and his grandma is a special one. I was very fortunate that my grandparents were so involved in my life. We all lived in the same area and would see each other at least once a week if not more.
So, 95 - she was born in 1910 - exactly 60 years before me. Only 10 years into a new century that is now over. I cannot help but think about the fundamental change she witnessed during her 95 years. She was born into abject poverty in a coal mining town outside of St. Louis. I remember going to visit my Great Grandma in the house where my Grandma grew up. It was a company house - the coal mining company had built and owned the whole town. It was a pretty miserable place, however, we loved it as kids. It had such strange and fascinating items as a cistern, a summer kitchen (a separate structure used for cooking in the scorching Midwestern summers), and only a toilet with no shower or bath inside (this was a 1960's enhancement as prior to that there was an outhouse). Quite opposite from the life I was born into with indoor plumbing, air conditioning, etc.
It is interesting to compare where my Grandma was at in various points of her life versus my life. I can only imagine what her 35th birthday was like. World War II had just ended. My Grandpa had avoided the draft due to a heart problem, but spent the war building tanks at a local factory. I wonder if rationing had ended by then? Did she splurge on sugar and flour and make a cake? Was it a scorching hot day without any air conditioning? Whatever, the case, her life was worlds apart from mine.
However, we were fortunate enough to share a significant amount of time together and, even more importantly, created a special bond between the two of us. So, happy 95th birthday Grandma. Even though I do not get to see you that often (and even when I do you think I am your long dead brother), I think of you often and love you very much.
posted by The Random Gay Guy at 9:53 AM
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