Today I celebrate the life of a woman whose love, faith, and quiet strength left a lasting imprint on my heart.
On July 26, my grandma would have celebrated another birthday.
She was born in 1898 and passed away in 1986, but not a year goes by that I don’t think of her.
Both of my grandparents lived through so much: two World Wars, the Great Depression, the 1918 influenza pandemic, and the hardships of tuberculosis. They saw the world change in ways most of us can hardly imagine, yet Grandma never lost her gentle spirit.
Whenever I look at her picture, I smile. I can almost see her waving hello, with the same warm smile that made everyone around her feel welcome.
As a little girl, I never thought much about everything she had lived through. I simply knew her as Grandma with her unmistakable thick Spanish accent, gentle voice, and warm hugs. It wasn’t until I became an adult that I began to understand the strength it must have taken to raise a family through some of history’s hardest years.
I wish I had asked her more questions. I wish I had listened a little longer.
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Dear Grandma!
Thank you for your love, your example, and the quiet moments you shaped our family. Your life still matters because your love still lives in us.
I miss you every day.
With all my love,
Your granddaughter, Mary.
Dear Reader: If you would like to meet more of the remarkable woman who shaped my life, I share more of her story in the chapter “To Abuela’s House We Go” from my book Running In Heels. Here is a short excerpt from that chapter. You’ll meet the woman who quietly taught me faith, hard work, kindness, and the importance of serving others, lessons that continue to shape my life today:
Her hands may no longer hold mine, but the love, faith, and the wisdom she passed down remain a part of me forever.
From Heart to Heritage
Reflections From the Heart 