Whats made you happy today?
Whats made you happy today?
Grandparents are there to be cherished - particularly for us older ones, as they have been through a lot in the war etc.
My maternal Grandad died 10years before I was born. His wife (my maternal Grandma), was a caring, loving lady - but very old school.
Despite taking me for days out on the bus and metro as a bairn and obviously loving/caring for me, she was very stand off ish with her emotions.
In a way, my mam is similar.
Her death, was quite sudden and it was as though her body/mind just gave up in one fell swoop.
I didn't see/notice everything, but thinking back, some of the signs were there.
I only found this out recently, but her new next door neighbours (a young married couple), alerted my Mam to some of the things that were going on and kept my Mam informed of her behaviour.
My paternal grandparents were of a working class background and were two I was very close too. Again, they took me out on the bus and metro as a bairn.
My Grandad was a hero in my eyes. He won the second world war single handedly as far as I was concerned when I was a kid.
His medals, his stories, his injuries...
I loved that man probably more than I do my Dad and was devastated when he died. Can still remember my Dad telling me 20 odd years ago.
It was the first person I had knew who had died and it was the person I was the closest to.
He had been ill for a while, following a serious stroke 6/7 years earlier - but being the man he was, he battled on.
Even now, he is still talked about on Barley Mow.
Just 5 months later, my maternal Grandma died.
My paternal Grandma is 94 now and earlier this year, suffered a heart attack.
She was seriously ill and we weren't expecting her to pull through.
After all, how many 50 odd year old blokes survive them - never mind a 94 year old woman.
She did and has gradually got back on her feet. Although not the person she was, she is a million times better than she was in March.
She is totally different to my other Grandma emotionally and is one of the most generous, kindest, loving ladies ever.
Although I agree with Fozz, I honestly think Grandparents are overlooked and not appreciated for what they do or what they have been through.
We miss them when they are gone, but it is nice knowing they are at peace, without any of the pain or illness they were suffering.
Love them, appreciate them and look back on the good memories with a smile.
