Great Grandma Della, for a short while lived with us. She was into her 90's and was making a transition between not being able to live alone anymore to having someone care for her around the clock. She had spend the last 30 years by herself. Her life mate, Nelson died and left her to her own.
Before her days were so confused she would easily spend them walking downtown every late morning. Sometime taking a bus but only if the weather elements were disagreeable. She would merrily walk from store to store to see if anything new was on display from the day before. Stopping at Kresge's for lunch at the counter, which usually consisted of a half of a sandwich and soup and water, warm, with just a hint of lemon. The left- overs neatly wrapped in a napkin and gently placed in her purse. Purse placed back on her arm and she was ready to head for home.
Home for her was tiny little house she built with her husband in the 1950's. By then they were past the child bearing age and God had not blessed them with any Children. When they married they were in such hopes that they would have a large family and planned accordingly. A different path was set for them. They became the caretakers of several families that illness had taken one parent or another. There was always a niece or nephew that would need caring for. That was their lot in life and I have never herd Grandma Della utter any but kind words for all those Children that she helped to raise. I also never saw one of those Children return to her in her elderly years to pay her a visit or to thank her for all that she and Nelson had done for her.
We however were so fortunate to have her in our lives. She was a surrogate Grandmother to my Children and to us as well. We were the benefactors of the love she had to give. We were rich with her sweet soft hand caressing ours. How we were blessed.
Grandma Della's only come into your life every now and again. My advise is to savor each moment.
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