My Wonderful Grandma

For my history class, we have a final project where we are to create a family tree and go further in depth with one of our relatives. I emailed my mom today to see if she could give me all the info she knew and I'd be set. She gave me basic information that I knew, then told me I should call my grandma for more information. I told her I would, but really had no intention of doing so.

After about ten minutes, I realized it had been almost a year since I had even made any form of communication with my grandma. Since she lives in California, this is not rare by any means. I usually go three or four years without speaking to her. Then, my mom will be on the phone with her and I'll be forced to talk to her.

Don't get me wrong, I love my family. I love hearing how they are doing, especially my grandma. She is so well-read that I learn so many new things by just talking to her for a couple of minutes. However, when you go years without talking to someone, you have that awkward feeling of talking to a stranger for the first time. In addition, I am quite shy on the phone, so I make the situation more awkward.

Anyway, I mustered up the courage to call my grandma tonight. I was only one the phone with her for half an hour, but it felt like two minutes. She seemed different than I remember when I was younger. I could relate to her and she seemed more...compassionate than I remember.

She told me how thankful she is for the doctor in the ER who decided to test me for a blood clot, even though he was convinced I didn't have one. She said he saved my life and I hadn't thought of that before. My grandma was a nurse for many years, so she knows how serious it was. She also told me how thankful she is that I listened to my mom and decided to go to the ER. She said she knew she wouldn't have been talking to me tonight if I had waited even another hour.

I never realized how much she loves me until tonight. She never told my mom "I love you" until a year ago, but she has always told me that. She has just always loved Eryn and I more than I deserve. My mom recently told me my grandma brags to all her friends that she has two granddaughters going to Drake University. She apparently brags about our jobs and our grades (even if mine aren't that great.)

It dawned on me that I don't show my grandma as much love as she deserves. When I told her I had to go, she keep thanking me for calling her and how much she misses me. She also kept thanking God that I am here today, which was awesome to hear from her. The saddest part about all of this? I forgot to send her a birthday card, or a phone call or anything wishing her a happy birthday. I do nothing for her and yet, she tells all her friends about this "wonderful granddaughter" of hers.

You know what? I'm going to start living up to that "wonderful granddaughter" image she makes out of me. Tonight was just the first step.