Monday, February 25, 2008

A Loss

My grandma, Irene Benefield, went home to live in heaven today. She lived a very long and somewhat complicated life. She was the oldest of 12 siblings. She and my grandpa had 7 children, 5 girls and 2 boys. I used to visit her every summer and spend the week. I loved every minute of it and have missed those summers for quite some time. Her house was a place that was unlike any other that I visited. She did not have air condition and her heat was supplied by a gas burning heater.

She had a crazy cuckoo clock that would chime just as you were trying to fall asleep. She never remembered my name, but knew exactly who I was and gave me the nickname "ladybug". She used to put bleach on our mosquito bites so we wouldn't itch. She had crazy feather pillows that weighed 25 lbs. She used funny names for body parts and carried a jar of water in her car before water bottles became popular.

She did not love conventionally but was very loved by us. When she would hug you, she would pat your back so hard, you'd think she was trying to help clear your lungs. She was truly a great woman. When my brother and I would visit, she would take us to the store and tell us to pick out what we'd like to eat and then allow us to pick out every sugary thing available. She took me to my first VBS at her church and then had me visit every year so I could continue to go.

I will miss you grandma. I love you. Alisha.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

So sorry about your grandma, Alisha. my grandma had a cuckoo clock also and I remember my grandma winding it everynight with the long black chains that hung down. Those were good times, for sure.

I think it is a huge blessing that we have good memories of our grandmas.

Felicia said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. She would be happy to know how much you cared and respected her.