Last night we celebrated my Nanie's eighty-somethingth birthday. Only one other birthday of hers can compare to the significance of this one and its joyful welcome. This is a memory that none of us will ever lose. The radiance of this woman inspires me to grow old, when life has whittled you down to your purest self. There you find freedom to love and be loved absolutely, or so I assume, by Nanie's example.
"Il y a de la joie," she said at Cara's wedding. There is joy. Ever since, her catchphrase. I learned from Nanie, and also from Sharon, that wisdom lies in joy and happiness. It was important that I learned this, for my own sake but also so that I could recognize that my grandmother is wise. Profoundly. Her favourite song is Rum and Coca-Cola and her favourite show is Wheel of Fortune and she is wise beyond my limits. She is profoundly happy and unashamedly loving.
I helped put her to bed at the end of the evening. She thumbed at me and turned to Sharon, "Is he yours?"
Sharon said yes and Nanie said "Darn it! You're lucky."
It was the end of a once-in-a-lifetime evening and as she creaked into bed she offered a thought to no one in particular but I overheard it, slow and thoughtful. "I think that you should make life into pleasure."
That is where I left her and I carried her thought home with me. Fait de la vie le plaisir. Beautiful words of wisdom from someone who knows.
Thanks Nanie. I love you.
2 comments:
Such a wonderful tribute to your dear family. I share the admiration expressed by you. My own step-mother outrages us weaker folk. She went sky-diving at 83, drove from Victoria to Elgin (in a camper-van with her care-giver at the wheel), when she was eighty-five, went ziplining over BC canyons and forests at eighty-six. This summer we travelled in an RV up Vancouver Island, caught a freighter at Gold River and spent the night in a B&B in Clayoquot. She refuses to give up, in spite of macular degeneration - In late June her home burned down - she escaped the flames at three in the morning. After four months in temporary accomodation, Mom moved back into her rebuilt home & is learning the number of steps from bed to bathroom, TV to kitchen, and so on. Ever indepenbent. Life is meant to be lived!
Give your grandmere a kiss from us.
David & Victoria
Moose and Marty
Hi Calvin,
After I shared the words of your post, a friend of mine wrote this to me: "Oh Franceen, That is sooooo beautiful! I have tears in my eyes! Hug your Cavin for me. He is a remarkable young man, & a very fine writer. I love your Mom too for what she said to him & to Sharon (she is lucky!). What love! What wisdom! Hugs all around, actually!"
Thank you for honouring your Nanie so profoundly.
With love from your Mom
Post a Comment