My Grandmother

This is a photograph taken on my Grandparent's 50th Anniversary.

Ask yourself who is or was the most positive influential person in your life? For me, it was my Grandmother, Lucille Wheeler. On January 29, 2014 it will be twenty five years since her passing. When I look back on my childhood,  it was my Grandparents who were the "rock of stability" in my life as I grew up. Having gone through my parent's  divorces from each other twice, it was my Grandmother who was always there, never flinching, strong, loving, and dependable.

There are so many happy memories of Mom ( we called my Grandmother Mom, never Grandma). She would always welcome any and all of her ten grandchildren with open arms and a welcomed hug. She never shyed away from demonstrative love, it was she who taught me to show love to others.

Mom who worked hard all of her life, taught me how to be a good person, about honesty, truthfulness, living as good a life as possible. Words cannot adequately describe how much I attribute the kind of person I am today to my Grandmother. She lived her life by actions, not just by mere words, she demonstrated genuineness and goodness in all she did. In a childhood wrought with the usual fighting and arguing that comes along with divorce, it was at my Grandparent's home I found solace.

I think of  Mom often and in a way I am glad she never lived long enough to see me go through the loss of my legs; it would have broken her heart to see one of her grandchildren suffer such a devastating loss. I must credit some of the  strength I feel I have demonstrated, to my Grandmother, a very strong person in her own right and well deserving of the title, family Matriarch. Mom held her family together through many tragic events and we all surfaced stronger and better people for the experiences we endured and for having such a positive influence in our lives.

After I moved to Chicago in 1980, Mom would write a letter to me once a week, long before the days of emails, and at the close of each letter she would sign it, "May God bless you in a very special this week. Love, Mom." God did bless me, giving me such a wonderful Grandmother whose very words and actions shape my life even to this day.

After Mom retired at 62 years of age, she decided to take driving lessons and learn to drive a car for the first time in her life. Think about how much gumption that took, just a little insight into what kind of a person she was, unafraid, brave, and determined. I hope I have even a small percentage of her zest for life, goodness of heart, and strength of character.

A lot has happened in the twenty five years since  we lost my blessed Grandmother, and although she is not here physically, her spirit is with all of us now and forever. Thanks Mom, I know you are aware of what I am writing now and that you are just as proud of your grandson and I am of my Grandmother. I miss you so much!

Love, Little Glenn

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