What Are You Thankful For?

During the holidays more than any other time of the year, we tend to reminisce of days gone by and we focus on what we are most thankful for.  Although I am thankful every single day for my family and friends, I am especially thankful for the woman pictured at left.  My Grandma Blackwell.  Well, actually, she is my husband’s Grandmother but she and I were divinely placed in one another’s lives as God knew I needed her so badly as both of my Grandmother’s have passed on and I miss them dearly.  Grandma is 86 years young and in my very biased opinion is the source for all things sweet.  Not just in my life but our entire family.  She is the mother of 6, the Grandmother of more than double figures and the Great-Grandmother to so many I can’t even count.  To this day, when we all gather together, Grandma still cooks, bakes and makes sure all the little ones have extra-special goodies and she never lets you leave her house without dipping in her special candy drawer.  Having survived times of deprivation, Grandma knows the importance of a little “sugar” in life and she makes it her mission that her grandchildren and now great-grandchildren never have to do without it.  Just today, while visiting her, she made me 4 bags of caramel corn all for myself and I am 43 years young!  It’s just that extra special love that she gives us that make us feel just as special to her.

Grandma Blackwell lived through some of the most important times in our history and when she tells me her stories about life back in the 1930′s, 40′s, 50′s and 60′s, I am in complete awe.  She lived through the depression, the civil rights movement and has out-lived 4 of her 6 children.  I listen to her like I am reading a extraordinary book that I cannot put down.  Our usual sit-downs consist of me sitting at the kitchen table, talking with her about current events and/or whatever might be bothering me that day.  I can always count on her for solutions, old-school style.  As we talk, I watch her beautifully wrinkled hands create a meal out of scratch, of course, and as I sit in awe I only hope that I can be the inspiration one day to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren that she is to all of us.

Grandma has taught me so much about love, life, struggle and joy.  Did I mention that our family is very much a blended one.  We have step-grandchildren and adopted from birth grandchildren and Grandma gives her awe-inspiring love to every single one of us.  When she is done telling a us a story, even if the ending isn’t always happy, she finds a way to bring a positive message.  I can only pray that I turn out to be half the woman she is.  To me, she is the source of all things sweet in my life and she is one of the most important people that I am thankful  for.

TMF Readers, what are you most thankful for?  Tis the Season for joy, peace and thankfulness.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Peace & Blessings,
Di