Here are some thoughts about my Grandma.
On August 12, My paternal grandmother, Joy Bateman Wixom Samson, died. She was 95 and had lived a full life of family, work, travel and love. She was an important and positive influence in my life, and while I am sad I won't see her again in this life, it's hard to be TOO sad when a tired 95-year old woman who has done all the things and is suffering from pain and sickness dies. I am honestly more happy for her than I am sad for myself. Truly. Her life is a great example of what I believe life is all about--learning, experiencing, helping others, trying, making mistakes, having messy problems, doing fun things, loving people, never giving up, etc. I don't romanticize her as a perfect person, but instead I love her for her example of a real woman in action. She showed me that it's possible to keep on going in the face of hard things, and to laugh and sing along the way. That is invaluable to me. I am grateful you are my Grandma.
So, I went out to Arizona and Utah and gathered with my family to honor her. It was an intense trip, both sad and joyful at the exact same time. I am really grateful I could go.
From Instagram: Yesterday was all about the legacy of Grandma Joy. So many of her people came. Only a few were missing. There were tears and tender hearts, but not without laughter and smiles in between. I saw cousins I haven't seen in years. We put our arms around each other and rejoiced. We were grateful for the family my grandma helped to build. And huzzah! All of my siblings were together! This is a rare and glorious occurance! I did not take enough photos but there were actual people to hug and being present was better than trying to record every moment. I will never forget the marvelous spirit of unity we shared. It was a lovely, love-filled celebration of our Esteemed Matriarch. (Thank you to dear friend Elisa for teaching me that most appropriate title.)
We rented a perfect house in Flagstaff to shelter some of the people who came to honor Grandma. Watching this delightful gathering my siblings and children and of my much-adored nieces and nephews with my granddaughters brought this sweet joy that is hard to put into words. I love my family so much.
We found the cheapest tickets home out of Las Vegas, so we drove down and stayed next to the airport. Our trip through the deserts of central and southern Utah was long and cathartic. I'm glad we had the time together. From Instagram: After a heart wrenching day of saying final goodbyes to Grandma, then saying all the bittersweet farewells to my family, I was drained and feeling the weight of grief. On the way to Vegas to fly to our homes tomorrow, my sis and I were cheered and astonished by the beauty of nature. A bank of storms to the east kept pace with our speed and glowed with rainbow after rainbow as the setting sun shined through. An unassuming "scenic drive" sign at the very western edge of Zion National Park drew us in and suddenly we were in a breathtakingly beautiful canyon. We had no idea these majestic peaks were waiting behind the cedar-studded hills by the road. It was the perfect thing to get us down the long highway to our hotel.
ps. If you have skipped the Kolob Canyons exit in your rush to get to points south, you have missed out. Take the drive next time!
It was a fitting week to honor a really special woman, one who always made me feel loved, even from far away. I know that my own grandmothering will be deeply influenced by her.
Post a Comment
Thank you for sharing your insights!