Timeless

First published October 20 2006

It'll be a year tomorrow since my grandmother passed away... to me it feels like yesterday...

Only a few people can come into this world and leave a legacy. She was no Gandhi, no Mother Teresa, her area of expertise had nothing to do with politics or medicine and she didn't win a Nobel prize for her accomplishments. Her area of expertise yet had much to do with these things along with so many others. She was the Judge and Jury of her children, the Doctor for the scraped knees, the Chef for the busy household, and the building blocks of something great. And though she wasn't even a local hero and her name might not be recognized in a plaque, the fruit of her hard labor can be seen in the faces of so many... She was my grandmother, the mother of my mother, and the foundation of our family.

Some people remember their grandmother by one special moment, I remember everything about mine. Her love for "chuletas" (sirloin steak), her great sense of humor, and the way she always had a safety pin if u ever needed one. Her scent a mixture of Vicks vapor rub and honey suckle flowers. When I think of my grandmother I think of her laugh, how her eyes would light up beautifully, her laugh filling up the room.
One day sitting in the dining room as she finished her dinner, she looked up at me as I wrote in my diary and asked me what i was writing. I told her I just wanted to remember something - so I was writing it down so i wouldn't forget. Because it was true, I wanted to remember that moment. The dining room filled with so much warmth and love. These were the types of moments you never forget. As I looked up at her, I could only hope that one day I would get to be like her.

She was filled with so much laughter and so many stories untold. Stories she isn't around to tell any longer, but stories that have been written with love, held in our hearts. Even though she's not around anymore, there's one thing I know for sure... beside the wrinkles, the age spots that covered her "caramelo" colored skin, even behind the scent that lingered in the air after she left the room... there was her smile... that kept her beautiful... That keeps her on my mind. That keeps her....

Timeless...