"...and lived her life so fully that she died empty". Great quote, wow. I want to live like that. I think often we get so caught up with material goals and ambitions containing numbers and things, but living like your great grandma, that's a real goal worth working towards.
A woman in my life who had a great impact was also my great grandmother Boppy. Lived to be 103 and what I remember most about her was she always had this low-key chuckle going on. Like she was always laughing, even subtly at life. Laughter was actually a mantra for her. Amazing. Thanks for reminding me and sharing a beautiful piece.
Yes. Whenever I think about her and the legacy she left behind I’m reminded that life is a vapor and the richness that we create is not from things but experiences.
I love that your great grandmother left the mantra to laugh often. What a beautiful reminder that to stay alive and enjoy the fullness we must laugh. Love that. Thank you for sharing Christoph.
This was so beautiful, Josefina and painted a wonderful picture of who she was in general, but in your life specfically. Thank you for sharing!
"It’s okay to grieve but it’s also okay to live."
This line hit so hard and so good. I've lead a virtual grief group for the past two years for Black folks & other people of color and we always talk about how grief stops you in your tracks and how sometimes you feel guilty doing anything else. But balance is necessary and i can say I was so deep in grief for years that I was here, but not really. With everything going on now, I have to make an effort to savor my aliveness and the joy that can be found in that fact alone.
Wow Kamil. Thank you for reminding us to be present. I too have been in such a foggy place that pictures only remind me that it happened. Grief has a way of sometimes keeping us in a space of cloudiness. I love that you are taking the time to savor and relish the days in front of you. Thank you for sharing part of your work and story with us.
This is such a beautiful tribute. My Grandma had a great impact on me too - she was determined, creative, and fierce. She was also quiet and so kind and generous. When she was in her 80s she would visit people who were part of her church community, the "elderly" she called them even though many of them were 20 years younger than her! She was a light in the world. I miss her all the time. Thank you for this reminder to honour her through living fully, I hope at the end I'm similarly empty and ready to rest.
Charlene I love that. Through your description of your grandmother I can just tell she was a beaming light. I also hope to live full enough to be ready for the next part of life. What an accomplishment.
A woman that has made a massive impact on my life is my spiritual teacher, Liana Shanti. She's the only reason I accepted Jesus into my life because I had only known him through theyes of dogmatic religion. Now I'm beginning to truly know him. The past few years of doing healing work with her programs helped me get to where I am now. Back in school, more self loving, and with better people in my life ♥️.
"...and lived her life so fully that she died empty". Great quote, wow. I want to live like that. I think often we get so caught up with material goals and ambitions containing numbers and things, but living like your great grandma, that's a real goal worth working towards.
A woman in my life who had a great impact was also my great grandmother Boppy. Lived to be 103 and what I remember most about her was she always had this low-key chuckle going on. Like she was always laughing, even subtly at life. Laughter was actually a mantra for her. Amazing. Thanks for reminding me and sharing a beautiful piece.
Yes. Whenever I think about her and the legacy she left behind I’m reminded that life is a vapor and the richness that we create is not from things but experiences.
I love that your great grandmother left the mantra to laugh often. What a beautiful reminder that to stay alive and enjoy the fullness we must laugh. Love that. Thank you for sharing Christoph.
Live fully by not being attached to it
This was so beautiful, Josefina and painted a wonderful picture of who she was in general, but in your life specfically. Thank you for sharing!
"It’s okay to grieve but it’s also okay to live."
This line hit so hard and so good. I've lead a virtual grief group for the past two years for Black folks & other people of color and we always talk about how grief stops you in your tracks and how sometimes you feel guilty doing anything else. But balance is necessary and i can say I was so deep in grief for years that I was here, but not really. With everything going on now, I have to make an effort to savor my aliveness and the joy that can be found in that fact alone.
Thank you again for this piece!
Wow Kamil. Thank you for reminding us to be present. I too have been in such a foggy place that pictures only remind me that it happened. Grief has a way of sometimes keeping us in a space of cloudiness. I love that you are taking the time to savor and relish the days in front of you. Thank you for sharing part of your work and story with us.
beautiful tribute. God bless all of the abuelitas!
Thank you for reading Jess. And Yes abuelitas are angels in real life. (Well most)
A beautiful message that has brought me to tears
Lynelle thank you so much for reading, I'm so glad it tugged your heart strings. It made me cry too.
This is such a beautiful tribute. My Grandma had a great impact on me too - she was determined, creative, and fierce. She was also quiet and so kind and generous. When she was in her 80s she would visit people who were part of her church community, the "elderly" she called them even though many of them were 20 years younger than her! She was a light in the world. I miss her all the time. Thank you for this reminder to honour her through living fully, I hope at the end I'm similarly empty and ready to rest.
Charlene I love that. Through your description of your grandmother I can just tell she was a beaming light. I also hope to live full enough to be ready for the next part of life. What an accomplishment.
A woman that has made a massive impact on my life is my spiritual teacher, Liana Shanti. She's the only reason I accepted Jesus into my life because I had only known him through theyes of dogmatic religion. Now I'm beginning to truly know him. The past few years of doing healing work with her programs helped me get to where I am now. Back in school, more self loving, and with better people in my life ♥️.
I love that for you. And congratulations on going back to school and the all the wonderful things that are ahead.
Thank you!
Beautiful!
My mother inspired me so much in so many ways. Beautiful essay 🙏🙌🏽