National Grandparents Day is a secular holiday celebrated in the United States since 1978 and officially recognized in a number of countries on various days of the year, either as one holiday or sometimes as a separate Grandmothers Day and Grandfathers Day.
Got that? Can you believe I forgot? (so did my family!)
This year, the date fell on September 11th and most of the world was focused on the tenth anniversary of 9/11. I realized that I didn’t give my very special friend a call in celebration of her first Grandmas Day. Actually, I have two dear friends who are first-time Grammas but this one person holds a special spot in my life and that of my family.
I’ve blogged about her, told of a fund-raising MS Walk that a group of family and friends did on her behalf, in an earlier post about shoes. Her name is Dotti; to me and many others, she is the most beautiful, loving Grandma anywhere!
Dotti won’t see this post because she doesn’t go on the internet but I will print it out and send her a copy. Knowing her, she’ll giggle and coo over this photo where she holds her new Grandson shortly after he was born. She’ll ask me how I got this picture and I’ll have to lie admit that I swiped borrowed it from her daughter-in-law’s Facebook album.
As I look at the photo, I know exactly what’s going through Dotti’s head as she looks down at the baby and my heart breaks. The cruelty of Multiple Sclerosis will rob her of the chance to easily take her Grandson out for a walk, or tumble around on the floor for playtime. Knowing her, she’ll certainly try but, with each day as her illness worsens, it becomes more difficult. It doesn’t affect the amount of love she has for this new life and no other Grandma has a glow that comes close to hers.
Not even me.
An accomplished Hairstylist, Dotti still loves to work and can do hair for hours on end; standing in one spot is easy but the MS can make other movements hard to navigate. Her ability to drive a car hasn’t been compromised and she’s out constantly, visiting friends and, of course, her treasured Grandson.
Right now, if it were in my power to change many things for her, I would. I want her to enjoy her loving family for years to come. My wish is that this new little life carries Dotti’s loving spirit inside.. always. I hope he has her wonderful laugh and concern for how everyone else is, never focusing on her own issues. I hope she gets to take him to a pumpkin patch, to visit Santa and on a trip to Disney.
I hope.
