L33t Test

10 days later.... Life is still throwing things at me I don't expect.
Posted by Skull_One at 06:16 PM CST

My wife losing both her parents hit me a lot harder than I thought it would. And then the one woman I thought would out live us all, passed away today. My Grandmother, along with my mother, are my first memories of what family first should be. My father then came along and reinforced it. Even when I could see him questioning the actions of others that he was trying to help. I have been most fortunate that family has always been there for me when my chips were down. When I needed someone to look at the situation and tell me "It will get better". But there was always one person that never did that. She didn't need to. She simply lived it. She lived life her way. She helped family her way. And when I needed something she took care of it. She didn't ask how I wanted it done, she just took care of it. It was never anything big. But it was stuff that has lasted all my life and will continue till the day I pass away to join her. I hope these two examples help you understand what I mean. The first is so simple. So small in some respects. Yet to this day I watch what this one thing my grandmother made for me does for myself and my family. Just as I was becomming a teenager, my grandmother made me a blanket. It was brown and it was furry. The softes thing I have ever felt. She made it because I needed a soft blanket. The day I got it I wondered why she would make me a blanket. I didn't know the answer till today, almost 25 years later. She made the blanket because I needed something to keep me warm and comfy. Something that was soft to the touch even when I was sick. A blanket, even to this day, my own kids try to take to their rooms to sleep with. A blanket that felt like kindness. She made me something that would help me rest so I could approach the next task in life. Which leads me to the second example. Grandma never complained when something needed to get done. She just went out and did it. This morning something odd happened. A set of events that at first glance would probably piss most people off. And six weeks ago, I think I would have yelled first instead of what I actually did do today. My wife by total accident left her sun roof open all night. In all the years we have had a car with one, this has never happened. Not even for a minute. Then this morning the worst rain storm we have seen in months decided to hit us while we were asleep. Needless to say the cup holders were filled with water. My wife was in tears when she came to get me up. I walked out side and looked. I told her to take my car and get going with her morning routine and I proceeded to vacuum out the standing water. When she got back an hour later I had managed to get all the electronics dried out and working (save for one speaker) and most of the water out of the seats. She asked how bad it was. And I could only think of one answer. It wasn't bad. No one was hurt. State Farm and Acura could fix it. I knew grandma would be passing away today. And without really thinking about it, I did it exactly the way she had always shown me. To take care of the problem. No use in complaining. It was already done. And my wife felt bad enough for the both of us as it was. Grandma and I never discussed things like this. She always just did things around me. I always watched and wondered. Today her lessons paid off. And I am greatful to her for that. And I am also grateful for my wife. For without her, I would never have had someone so special to share all this with. She has brought the best out in me that my parents and grandparents taught me. You can't ask for any more in a friend or spouse. My grandmother passed away exactly at the time I was getting ready to climb into my car to drive to work. The exact moment when I was 100% done with the hard problem of this day. She had always stuck around for me to make sure the job was done. Even today.