Her funeral was glorious as we celebrated a life well-lived to its fullest.
My grandmother loved the Lord, assisting with a weekly Bible study at her senior citizen home, and faithful in her attendance and service to her church.
My grandmother was hearty; when most people were settling down, she was just getting started. Her husband died when she was 69. After his death, she moved out west to be with my cousin who was living in California.
In 1997 when we celebrated her 80th birthday, I remember learning about her and all the knucklehead things my father and his siblings used to do. She survived a lot, including being a single parent.
But, it was in her death I realized how much she loved life, lived life and in death, was at peace.
There are many times when people die, you can tell they were not at peace. Not so with Grandma Green. She was beautiful and peaceful laying in the coffin.
The reminder of how much she loved life came from the fact that seven years ago, at age 84, she was aboard the QE2 for a two-week world cruise. It was one of five cruises she took. I remember the cruise she took of Asia about five years ago. During her annual trek East to Pittsburgh to visit, she brought me souvenirs from that journey, including a fan from China and a bookmark from Japan.
The last time I visited with my grandmother was in August. She had recently had a bout with pneumonia and was no longer living at her senior citizens home. She was at a nursing home, and she was somewhat weakened, but still had fire. She was ready to go to war over her Aflac duck that was placed out of her sight. Thankfully, I found it, saving I don't know how many people. ;-)
In death, my grandmother has reminded me to live life to its fullest, doing things that I love and not living with regret because there may be a time when I will regret not living.
