Friday, November 2, 2012

My Grandma - Five Minute Friday





Today's Five Minute Friday word is "roots:"

start:

I have only a few treasured pictures of us together. This one sits in a tiny ornate frame on top of the piano. I sometimes sit and look at it with great longing. The pictures are my only "memory." She died when I was two.

I hunger for stories about her. In my heart she is the strong root system I am  thankful to draw from. She came to this country as a five year old child having sailed on a big ship from Italy with her mother. She didn't get to go to school because her little sister wasn't old enough and she had to stay home with her.

When she was thirteen an arrangement took place, and she was married. It turned out well. I always smile when my Mom says she grew to be taller than her husband. She worked hard - so very hard. She lost several babies - a six month old daughter to blood poisoning (just a little scratch from a rusty piece of metal). The hardest was the five year old son - meningitis. In her grief she ripped out a piece of her own hair. It never grew back.

She took in family members who immigrated from Italy - caring for them until they could get settled. She worked when there wasn't enough money from my Grandfather's barber shop and hocked what little precious jewelry she had to make ends meet.

She was a midwife - the one the neighbors called when there was sickness they couldn't deal with. During the great flu epidemic she went with the doctor from house to house. No one in her family ever got sick.

She is my precious Grandmother. She is part of my roots. I miss her dearly.

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Joining Lisa-Jo today at Five Minute Friday

Blessings,
Linda