My sweet grandmother passed away this week. We knew it was coming soon. Two and a half months ago, she fell and broke her hip. (I mentioned it in my previous post.) She went downhill fast from there and after what seemed like an agonizing two months, it was over. Just like that. It was all over.

I’ve been reminiscing a lot the last few days. I keep looking at the picture of her (above) and thinking about her life. After 88 years, she must have seen a lot. She lived through the Depression and World War II. She worried while her brand new husband fought over Japan during the war. She wondered if he would come home. Thankfully, he did. She lived through the death of her only son. She saw her family grow and grow with five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She lived through the ups and downs of life, deaths, births, tears, and laughter. And through it all, she remained one of the most beautiful ladies both inside and out that I’ll ever know.

I miss her already. But I keep thanking God over and over again that I had the opportunity I had to be with her just a few hours before she died. I was with her by her bed – just the two of us. I had my hand on her forehead, stroking her beautiful white curls, telling her how glad I am that she was my grandmother. How much she taught me. And how we would carry on her legacy. I told her she did a good job and that it was okay to go. When I said goodbye to go home, somehow I knew it was the last time I would see her breathe.

Death is never easy, but if we understand the afterlife, we understand that it’s not over for those we love who had Jesus. It’s only just beginning. And I cannot tell you how happy I am that my sweet Mimi is now reunited with the love of her life, my Pop. Theirs was a timeless love. A love that will carry them through eternity.

What a legacy they left us with. I am blessed.