It was my dear grandmother's birthday on Thursday. She has been feeling VERY down because my grandfather is in the hospital again. For those who don't know, he has been in and out of the hospital since May.
Anyhow, yesterday my dad, mom, and I went to give my grandmother her gifts. We got her a beautiful trellis for her mandevilla. We had bought it about a week ago. However, the night before last a storm had knocked down and broke her old wooden one so it was a perfect gift. We also bought a shepherd's hook and a hanging plant to hang on it.
I could tell she enjoyed her gifts but I could also tell that she was upset. Her other son, my uncle, didn't even visit her on her birthday. He called, that's it. His wife, my aunt I suppose, has this long grudge against my grandmother. No one can figure out what the heck her problem is and no one is happy about it. In the meantime, my uncle and his children rarely get to see my grandmother because of her. My grandmother told him that what she wanted for her birthday was for his wife to act as if we are all family, that's it.
My parents had plans so they didn't stay long, I didn't so I ask my grandma if I could spend the rest of the day with her and if she could take me home later.
So we did, we had a lot of fun playing her favorite game - Sequence. And talked about dogs for a long time, she has 3 Maltese. Anyhow, it was coming time for dinner and she asked if I wanted to go to McDonalds or something. I said no, how about I take you somewhere nice, my treat. So, we went to a delicious seafood restaurant. I told our waitress that it was her birthday.
Towards the end of the meal, the waitress came out with a free piece of Key Lime pie and announced to the whole restaraunt that it was my grandma's birthday. Everyone joined in singing happy birthday to her.
I suppose my point in this story is that while your grandparents and relatives are still here - be sure to spend as much time as possible with them. Life is too damn short to hold grudges against people, let alone your family. Hold your family near and dear, and be sure to let them know how much they mean to you.
There was nothing more rewarding about last night than putting a smile on my Memaw's face.
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You are right, family fueds can be so hurtful.
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