How things change

March the 8th 2009, turned into a life changing day for my family. My Granny who was pretty much my last Grandparent alive, had a stroke. I hoped and prayed God's will would be done, the whole time thinking she would come out of this and be the same person she was on Saturday March the 9th, 2009. But God had different plans and he took her from us on March the 20th 2009 at 5:20pm. She slowly faded away. I felt her pulse as it faded out and heard her breathes as they slowly stopped. I have been with other family members as they passed into the gates of Heaven, but this time was so different. I guess the fact that she was the last elder in our family who could tell you about the old days and how things where back then, was gone from Our lives.(we talked on the phone not long ago about those days she missed and loved so much.) She was 76 years old and trust me that's not all that old the older you get. Life can change in the blink of an eye. One minute I was in church and the next on my way to the hospital. I wondered from the time they told us she wasn't going to make it until the day she passed why God was letting her hang on. Then My Pastor Steve came in on Friday and was talking with me. I don't know if he was told I had asked that question, or if God just put it on his heart to explain it to me, but what he said really helped. He explained that some times God lets a person linger so you can repay them for what they have done for you in the past. And also so you can talk with them, hold their hand and just love them for that last time. And let them know you love them. It made me realize that Our Family had just had the most precious two weeks we could of asked for. I talked with her, sang to her, prayed with her, and just told her how much I loved her and how thankful I was to have had her in my life. My Granny wasn't up to date with technology and life, but she was up to date with loving and caring for others. She helped my Mother take care of Myself and my Twin sister after we were born, and she took care of her Mother for years, then my Papa as he fought a long hard battle with cancer, then my Aunt Merle as she struggled with Alzheimer, she helped any one she could. She helped my sister with her children, and many times she helped me out with my children. When I stop and look back, I realize she was a very Strong Woman. She went through so much in her life. She lost her father at the age of 21, then lost others she loved as well, but the hardest thing for her was the day she lost the love of her life my Papa after 51 years of marriage. When I stop and think about it she is the image of a woman who gave her life for others. No she never went to war, but she would stop anything in her life just to help others. Her being gone seems so unreal. I never in a million years thought she would be gone this soon in my life. Over the last Ten years since my Papa passed we have had many late night conversation about him and the things they would do together in thier younger days (as she would say) I am really going to miss all of those phone calls. But I Thank God I had the chance to listen to her and the many stories about the Yester-years of her life. Sure there were many times she would tell me a story she had already told many times before, but I loved to hear them all each and every time. I know she is so happy now and she is right where she wanted to be, With My Papa and the rest of her family even her Daddy. She loved her Daddy. But mostly she is with God. I will miss her forever and I don't know if the lump in my throat will ever go away, but I Thank God I had her in my life even though it was only a short period of time. God Bless her sweet Soul.