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This is part of the grateful series.

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My Grandmother

I like to think I’m really close to my Grandmother.

“Nans”, as I like to call her.

I wanted to write this post because I want to appreciate her for all she is.

We tend to take for granted those who live closest to us. It might be your parents, your partner, your siblings, or a bestfriend. We only realize all that they were after they are gone.

Acting on Wisdom

I don’t want to make this mistake, so I’ll act on the wisdom from those before me, and bathe in all of the love I get while she is here with me.

This post will help me do that.

So we’re on the same page, here’s a helpful photo.

I could probably end the post right here, as a picture speaks 1000 words. This doesn’t do justice to her, though.

Tell me a little about “Nans”.

Well, if I were to describe her as eloquently as I can in one word, I’d say she’s simply pure-intentioned.

Everything she does has the purest intentions – filled with love and care.

She’s the only one in my family who has a witty comeback to everything I say. Our relationship is built on witty banter, and as fast I spew a sarcastic remark in my anglocized Hindi / Punjabi accent, she’ll fire back with a clever one liner.

I always get thrown back, because even at her age, she’s quick. I’m startled, and exit the competition with a laugh, a smile, and a cemented place as second quickest in the house.

What I’ve learned from her

Through her pure intentions, she speaks her truth. She says what she feels, and I’ve learned from her the importance of self-awareness and deconflating the truth from something that may hurt your feelings. From her I learned no one’s perfect, and it’s those closest to you who can speak honestly.

I have enough self-awareness to know I haven’t seen anything in life. I occasionaly think I’ve cracked the code to life, and have it all figured it out, but this is far from the truth.

She’s seen the independence of India, she’s migrated across the nation from what is now Pakistan to what is now India, she’s married, raised 3 sons and a daughter (my mom), moved to a completely different country, started a new life, seen the passing of one of her own children, the passing of her husband, the birth of her grandkids, the wedding of grandkids, the birth of her great-grand kids.

The list goes on.

She has many lives worth of wisdom that I can pick up on. I should pick her brain more.

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I think whenever I stray too far from what really matters in life, from her I get reeled in.

When it’s all said and done, it’s the people around us who we cherish.

Does it matter how high the ceilings of your house are, or the car you have parked in the garage when you don’t have someone in the house to talk to?

Always by my side