So, if I've learned anything thus far in life, it is to embrace what you have while you have it. I can say from personal experience that I have let too many moments pass me by because I have been afraid of the reality of the situations at hand. I speak, of course, of my Grandpa. I let so much time go by since he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and his passing this last September without actually going to see him and spend time with him. Sure there were the Easter's and Christmas's and other "family get-together" holidays, but I never went to just go see him or make a phone call because I was afraid.
To be fair, I wasn't afraid of him. I was afraid of the fact that I was no longer going to see the man I grew up knowing. Selfish reasons kept me away. This is the number one thing that I regret upon his passing. This is the number one reason that I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could while he was in hospice care. This is also the reason that I now realize the time I have left with my Grandma... is priceless.
Other than my Mom, these are the people who raised me, and are part of who I am today. These are the people who poured themselves into me as a child and young adolescent. This is my family. They deserve to be loved and cherished for as long as they are living, even if it brings hardship on my end. Family is not just your lifeline... you are also their lifeline sometimes. This brings me to my weekend.
I got to spend the better part of my Saturday with my Mom and Grandma. A little while ago I got to thinking, after we lost my Grandpa, that it would be a good idea for my Mom and myself to go over to Grandma's and have a family dinner at least once a month if not more. I don't want to wait for holidays anymore. I don't want so much time to pass by that I don't recognize her anymore or worse... she doesn't recognize me. She is the woman who taught me so much in life from baking to choosing clothing that was flattering for me. She spent so much of her time with me as I was growing up; the least I can do is spend a Saturday with her as often as I can.
We had a nice afternoon together. We played about four rounds of Skip-Bo where I think my Mom was victorious two of the four rounds. I was then able to pay back a tiny fraction of the meals Grandma had provided me over the years. It felt amazing to be cooking a meal for her in the very same kitchen where I learned the basics of cooking and baking. It was the same old stove and the same old oven I had learned in as a child. All the pots, baking sheets, and miscellaneous cooking paraphernalia, right where I left them. Only my meal I had prepared for over an hour was bested by some microwave broccoli with Parmesan cheese and Tuscan seasoning. But darn it all if I wasn't mad in the least. That was just like Grandma... choosing veggies over anything. Some things felt so right from that night, but other things are noticeably different. One thing still remains the same. I will cherish these moments for as long as I can get them, because one day they will be all I have.
Mrs. Imparato
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