Grandma Allgood

My apologies if you've been coming here regularly, hoping for a new post. So much has been going on, and a lot of it blog-worthy, but finding the time has been a real challenge.

Sometimes living life has to come before blogging about it...know what I mean?

My Grandma Allgood recently passed away. And I guess that's part of why I've been a bit removed from the blog world.

Since she passed away, I've had the desire to tell everyone I know all about her - what an inspiring individual she was. I hope you don't mind if I use this post do a little bit of that.

Since Grandma was (and is) such a cheerful, positive person, I'll try to keep this post that way...

She was a beautiful woman - inside and out.

See???My grandpa says this was how my grandma looked when she walked into the bank where they first met. "So you can see why I asked her out," he recently told me.

I had the rare opportunity to visit her in California just days before her passing, and will certainly treasure that time I got to spend with her.

Though her Leukemia was catching up with her, though she was suffering from infections and other ailments, though she had already been in the hospital for days and days, my grandma was determined to laugh and have fun. She thanked every nurse and doctor that came and went, and asked for her lipstick so she could look her best.

We caught up on my work and on my haircut (much better now that my bangs don't hide my eyebrows...they're a very important part of your face, you know).

While in the hospital we also played charades and took an imaginary (yet very fun) trip to NYC.

This ability to stay positive even through the negative, was always one of her token characteristics. I never heard my grandma say a negative thing about anyone.

And I am not exaggerating.

If others were talking negatively about someone, Grandma would chime in, pointing out some redeeming quality they had. "Well, he has a very nice nose," was one of the things she said during her last days in the hospital (in reference to an actor we were watching on the T.V. who, as I had pointed out, was not very good-looking).

That kindness, and ability to find the positive, are traits of hers that will always inspire me.

She had an unassuming way about her - never judging and absolutely without guile.
There are few people in this world who are worthy of that term. I really wish I were one of them.

Her 62-year, love-filled, exemplary marriage to my amazing grandpa is also something to aspire to. The joy they found in serving and being with one another, after so many years, is a standard I hope to achieve in my own marriage.

The legacy she leaves behind includes things like charity, compassion, humility, love of singing & music, innocence, tolerance, kindness...and her delicious "2 Minute Fudge" - all things I'd like to possess more of.

Grandma, though you're sorely missed, we're glad you're free from the physical strains of this life. I love you and look forward to seeing you again someday.