Grandma

Dear grandma,

I am sorry I held a grudge and never got the chance to tell you I love you again. I am sorry that you never got pictures of your great-granddaughter. I am sorry that I didn't forgive you before it was too late. These are things I will live with and I hope that you can forgive me.

I do want you to know that no matter what you said or did, I loved you immensely. I have some really great memories of times we spent together. I remember when you came to Albuquerque to visit once and took Sara and I to the zoo. I remember that you cut across six lanes of traffic because you were about to turn the wrong way. You also bought us ice cream and snacks, which our parents never did (a perk of grandmotherhood). I remember visiting you "down the shore" when I was little. You would always sneak me a salt water taffy.

When I was 14, I got to stay with you for an entire month. I think I must have put you through the ringer, but you kept me busy. We went to Longwood Gardens, we saw a Celtic band with Uncle Martin, and you took me to the mall about every other day. I had a great tan because you would sit at the pool with me for hours when it wasn't raining. We went on a trolley tour of Philadelphia, driven by Uncle Martin. We went to the Benjamin Franklin Institute and ate hoagies and Philly cheese steaks. I can't forget all the pretzels I ate either! Or Pinocchio's. I developed a love of Philadelphia I wouldn't have known otherwise. We went to Ocean City and I got to meet Uncle Walter before he passed away ... and hang out with Julie, who I idolized that summer (other than the Jeep burns!). Fourth of July was probably still one of the best I've had hanging out with all of the Owsiks (and there are a LOT of them!!). You even needed a break (who wouldn't at half your age?) and I stayed with Uncle Pete and Aunt Helen in Cherry Hill where I ate a ton of "vitamin I" and got to see Picasso at the MoMA in New York City. We played Scrabble a lot and you even let me win sometimes. I had to look your words up in the dictionary! You let me cook for you and ate my manicotti without one complaint even when I inadvertently added cilantro instead of parsley. There was so much more that summer, but the best times were just sitting and talking to you. There was a lot I learned from you grandma, about your history, about life in general. You certainly never apologized for being you.

The last time I saw you was when you touched my newborn son and welcomed him into the world. You would be proud grandma, he is becoming a wonderful person. One day I will bring them to visit you and Pepop.

I love you, I'll miss you.