My grandmother passed away a few years ago. We were quite close. She was the one person I would always call while I was traveling since she didn’t have email. She always supported me, but she was a worrier. She passed away due to a combination of ailing health and from her many years of smoking. Surrounded by friends and family, she passed surrounded by loved ones under a full moon.
Recently she has been in my thoughts as I prepare for my wedding. I know she would be happy to see my doing something more ‘normal’ after all my adventures and dangerous hobbies. She was always proud of me, despite some of my less traditional choices.
She grew up on the Washington coast. Her last vacation was out there with the family. We ate razor clams until our hearts were content. Whenever I visited the ocean, she would ask me to bring her home sand dollars. I would bring her home sand dollars anytime I found them.
I was at the beach recently and found her a few, which I hadn’t done in a long time. She is buried in my hometown in Washington, so I don’t get to deliver them often. I still will take them and leave them at her grave when I do go. The irony was that I realized later in the day that it was her birthday. And it just seemed like the universe was reminding me to celebrate the wonderful women and give thanks to her for all of her love and gifts that she gave.