She was the kind of person who would sacrifice her own wants and comforts if it meant that she could make someone happy. Married three times to men who never fully appreciated her, she eventually took care of me as a single woman with one son still living at home. My uncle, a man who at this time was in his mid-forties, had been born with slight mental retardation and was mostly dependent on my grandmother. She spent all her time teaching me how to read, cleaning up after me, cooking for my uncle and I, driving him to his part-time job, doing laundry, caring for sick friends, volunteering in our community and much much more.
In the midst of all this, she spent the last 30 years of her life in constant pain due to a stomach illness that doctors could not determine the cause of. I never, however, saw her turn bitter or angry toward anyone she came in contact with. She endured the physical pain and emotional hardships she faced with strength and joy, always tending to the needs of others before her own and going out of her way to make others feel loved.
As I get older, I see myself more and more reverting back to the behavior I noticed in my grandmother. It seemed that no matter how much she was dealing with, she could always find happiness and joy in treating others kindly. Although it is definitely a struggle to put others before myself all the time, it is one of my deepest desires and I know that my grandmother set that example for me early on. Although she passed away last fall, she will be remembered as a woman who always put God first, others second, and herself third. She was a true picture of love and kindness and I believe those qualities, when practiced genuinely can change lives.
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