Tribute to Grandma

"Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete."

~Marcy DeMaree

And so what was feared, yet was sure to be inevitable, happened. My Grandma passed away on Tuesday 19/Aug/2008 after suffering for over 4 years. I had already put up a post about her medical condition earlier, you can see it here.

She did not go peacefully, she actually suffered a while before. She was hanging on until my uncle, who is her eldest son, died on Dec 28, 2007. Although no one told her he was gone, she felt it. She slowly sunk into her thoughts, refusing to share them with anyone. Eventually, she stopped talking, and shortly after that, she refused to recognize anyone. She only wanted to see her son one more time, and I think that in one way or another, she finally got her wish.

I hadn't been to Lebanon since her first stroke, and I wasn't going to go to Lebanon anytime soon. However, God had other plans. He ensured that my mother, all my aunts and uncles, myself, my sister (my brother couldn't take off work) and all other cousins and family that have been away were available in Lebanon the day she died. That, to me, is a gift from God. She had a house full of people who loved her waiting to say goodbye, to read her verses of the holy Quran to help usher her way to her final resting place. Yes, my Grandma did suffer ( I will spare you the gory details), but in the end, she rests. She looked so peaceful after her burial preparations were done and they were waiting for the ambulance to come take her to the cemetery. She looked like the Grandma I always knew and remembered- yes, thinner, but there nonetheless. She had a smile on her face, she looked happy and she was finally over the pain. Nothing could ever touch her and hurt her where she was going. Nothing could upset her. Sadly, nothing could bring her back either. She was on her way to meet her husband, her son and her daughter. She was finally going home and she looked it.

My grandma lived a good, decent life. She was loved, respected and honored by all. She was a peaceful person and a cool grandma -for a 13 year old, allowing me to smoke was pretty cool-. She was the glue that held my mothers' family together. She was our sun and we were the plantes revolving around her. Now, the sun has set for the last time, darkness has taken over, and although the moon and the stars will still shine brightly, nothing can ever be as bright as her smile.

I will miss you terribly Grandma, even though you did not recognize me when I saw you for the last time, I know that you spirit recognized me afterwards. Watch over me, guide me and let me feel your presence whenever you are visiting us on Earth here.

To everyone who reads this post, please honor my Teeta with a minute of silence.