Remembrance

Easter this year marks one year since Granny passed away. Peacefully slipping away in her sleep with her family surrounding her. She was my Mother’s Mother. Granny was very different to my Grandma. Both wonderful women who had special gifts that they each offered to their grandchildren.

I have been so lucky and grateful that I did not have to mourn my grandparents passing in quick succession. Nor did I have to start mourning their loss from my life while still a child or a teenager. I was able to know each of my grandparents in different stages of my own life and of theirs.

As I continue to get older I am able to look back and remember their words of wisdom, their little characteristics, sayings and mannerisms. I love the memories that my boys have of their great grandparents. They had a different relationship than I as it wasn’t grandparent to grandchild but great grandparent to great grandchild.

What struck a cord for me last week was the way that my parents remember their parents and celebrate their anniversary of passing. My Fathers side (his father is still with us) remember his mother with little sayings or memories that pop up. It always feels like she is still around.

However, on my Mother’s side for her anniversary there are flowers at her graveside and a morning tea. A morning tea with all her favourite trimmings. It was so lovely to sit with my parents and remember her over a morning tea.

You see, for Granny, morning tea was important. It was a ritual that happened every weekend on a Saturday morning. The family would visit her or she would visit us. There were always yummy morsels to eat while having your cuppa.

As a child I always looked forward to seeing what was on offer. It was on offer as you never asked for anything. Asking would result in you having nothing. She was a little old school around seeing children but one does not hear from children.

My brother and I loved any of the sweet buns or sausage rolls from a wonderful bakery called Lushus Bakery. Or maybe there was homemade piklets or fancy biscuits…….every morning tea had something different.

Getting to sit with my parents for morning tea and just reminisce about her bought back so many memories of her. It was a little like old times. A cuppa with tasty morsels and family chatter about our everyday lives. A continuing of a family tradition. A wonderful way to honour and celebrate our parents, grandparents and great grandparents memory.

I am so thankful that my grandparents played a role in my life. I have so many wonderful memories of them. They were a bedrock to so much of my life. I love that my children were also able to have their own relationship and memories of their great grandparents. It will be them that continues to hold and cherish their memories.

It’s all those small traditions and memories that tie a family together. So thank you Granny and Grandad and Grandma for enriching our lives. You will be remembered and honoured for many years ahead.