For Granny - I had this to say at your service, however, it was left behind
When we think of Granny, we think of someone who was, in every sense of the word, the quintessential grandmother.
She was warm, gentle, incredibly kind-hearted, and always looking after those around her. She was the kind of granny who knitted things for you, who took pride in her garden, and who had a quiet, loving way of making you feel cared for.
Living so far apart meant that, unfortunately, we didn’t get to spend as much time with Granny as we would have liked. And while we might not have a lifetime of stories or countless memories to share, what stands out to us is that we never needed those things to know the kind of person she was.
Because sometimes, it’s not necessarily the moments you remember most about someone, but the way they made you feel.
And with Granny, that feeling was always one of warmth.
She had such a gentle nature, something that was reflected in the way she cared for her garden. There was something very fitting about her love of gardening, because she seemed to approach the people in her life with that same patience, tenderness and care. She was someone who nurtured the things around her, whether that was the flowers in her garden or the people she loved.
And much like the things she knitted for us, her love was warm, thoughtful and made with care. It’s those little things that stay with us, and those qualities that we hope we’ve carried a little of into our own lives.
Of course, even the gentlest of grandmothers have their limits.
We can remember one particular occasion when Mia took the Lord’s name in vain, and Granny, in what was probably one of her sternest moments, promptly told her, “I’ll wash your mouth out with soap!”
And really, that was about the extent of Granny’s stern side. Even when she told Mia off, it was hard to imagine her being anything other than the kind, gentle person we knew.
One memory we do hold particularly close is from a visit when Granny came to stay. We all went for a walk together down to the local park, however, as luck would have it, the heavens opened and it absolutely bucketed down with rain. We ended up having to sit and wait for the rain to pass, with nowhere to go and nothing else to do but talk.
We remember sitting there, asking questions back and forth, chatting about all sorts of things, and simply enjoying being together.
It’s funny how a moment that seemed so ordinary at the time can become something so special years later. There was nothing particularly special about it, just a rainy afternoon, Granny and the three of us, sitting together waiting for the weather to clear.
But looking back, there’s something really lovely about that memory. Because, in a way, it captures exactly what we remember most about Granny. She didn’t need to do anything extraordinary to make a moment feel special. Just being there, with her warmth, her patience and her gentle presence, was enough.
And perhaps that’s what we’d most like to remember about her.
That even though distance meant our time together was limited, her kindness was never lost on us. Her gentle nature, her warmth and the love she showed in the simplest of ways left an impression that has stayed with us.
We may not have had as many moments together as we would have wished, but the ones we did have, and the person we knew her to be, are things we’ll always treasure. We’ll remember her for being exactly what a granny should be, loving, caring, gentle, and always making sure those around her felt looked after.
We’ll miss you, and we’ll carry a little bit of your warmth with us always.
Georgia Munro, Australia
