Happy Heavenly Birthday Nana

 

“The time will come when their memory will bring a smile to your lips before a tear to your eye.” Joe Biden

I love this quote and I can finally relate this to Nana. This week on September 15^th, Nana would’ve celebrated her 101^st Birthday. I thought she’d live to be at least 100. She made it to 97. Still an amazing accomplishment for a woman who survived so much. A National Depression, World War II, an alcoholic husband, four kids, a brutal factory job, a divorce and independent living until almost 95.

Memories of Nana now bring me smiles almost daily. This summer when I made Nana’s strawberry jam recipe, the sweet smell of the bubbling strawberries made me feel her presence. I remembered when she was beside me, stirring the hot berries while I added the multiple cups of sugar. I could almost hear her say, “Don’t pour the sugar in too fast—it’ll burn.” In my mind, I could picture her in her red print apron, spooning a ladle of the scalding jam into a little glass ‘tester dish.’ The tester was to make sure the batch had jelled properly. Although, I think the dish might have been an excuse for both of us to taste the sweet sticky results. And now when I make her recipe, I always have a tester dish, and smile as I lick a spoonful of my shiny, perfectly jelled jam.

Nana's red print apron and strawberry jam from Nana's Recipe

Reminders of Nana are everywhere. I recently saw a little old lady in a tan colored car driving slowly down the street. You could barely see her head above the steering wheel. I smiled and remembered Nana driving her beige 2002 Chevy Cavalier on her way to the Weis grocery store a few miles from her apartment. Her thick seat cushion raised her barely five-foot frame just enough for her to see out the windshield.

Nana loved her car and she loved to drive. But she frequently complained about all the old people driving on the road. I smile at the thought of her saying this and love that Nana never saw herself as old. She drove until she was 91 and dearly missed her car for the rest of her life.

 Nana with her 2002  Chevy Cavalier 

Memories of Nana occur when I least expect them. One day, while looking for something, I came across Nana’s lavender nightgown. When I was sorting Nana’s clothes after she passed, I found the nightgown and decided to keep it.  It was one I’d bought for her and she looked so lovely in it. Her snowy white hair complimented the delicate purple flowered fabric that draped softly over her tiny body.

Nana loved getting ready for bed early. As soon as she saw her local 6 o’clock news and watched some of NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, she headed to her bedroom to change into her nightgown. She had a schedule to keep. She had to be back in her comfy blue chair by 7pm to watch Wheel of Fortune.

The lavender nightgown brings one of my fondest memories of Nana. During my monthly visits, she allowed me to help her put it on her. Nana had a bad right shoulder and it was painful for her to lift that arm into the sleeve. I sat beside her at the edge of her bed and helped her so she didn’t have to hurt. Then I’d lightly put my arm around her and kiss her delicate soft cheek. That memory brings me to tears.

Nana in her beautiful lavender nightgown

Not just on Nana’s birthday, but every day, I remember her and memories of her make me smile. Yes, tears come sometimes too, but now I usually smile first.

Happy Heavenly Birthday Nana.