Erica posted a condolence
Thursday, October 14, 2021
This is the speech which I read at my grandma's funeral. I wanted to share it with family and friends who weren't able to be there that day. With love, Erica.
~
Most people are lucky if they get to know their grandmother for even a little while, but I was able to know mine for thirty years: And it was a joy to spend every minute with her. I’m so glad I was blessed with a grandmother who was accepting, easygoing, and incredibly unique. I always looked forward to her coming along with my mom and me when we went out on adventures, whether we were going on a quick day trip to Utica or a week-long vacation.
My grandmother was fashionable, sweet, and ahead of her time: I never worried about her judging me, even when I did something weird that my mom didn’t like, like dye my hair pink in 9th grade or wear clothes that bordered on embarrassing. She would always stand up for me regardless of the circumstances, even if I didn’t deserve it. She taught me that that’s what families do: Stand by each other, regardless of what other people or even the conventions of society dictate.
When I think of my grandmother, one word comes to mind: Avant-garde. She was a far cry from the conservative, uptight old lady that most people turn into in their later years. She let people be who they wanted to be, and in my opinion, that was one of her most valuable qualities. There was nothing I ever did that she complained about, no matter how unconventional it was or whether it went against the ebb and flow of the crowd.
My grandmother was the type of person who lived life the way she wanted to without worrying about conventions or the expectations of others. Most people can only wish to have that kind of courage. She was probably the happiest person I ever knew, and she truly appreciated the time she had here on this Earth. She made the best of everything life threw her way, even a heart operation in her later years that would have drained most people of all hope and will to carry on. She lived more in the 20-plus years after having that valve replacement than most people do in an entire lifetime.
My grandmother is proof that old age doesn’t have to slow you down, and you can continue to enjoy life right up to the final breath. She was a very kind person who never criticized or questioned the choices of others. More people should try to open up their worldviews and be as free-willed and open-minded as she was in her 90s.
I’m going to miss her, but I know that even though her body couldn’t keep going, the good times we had will last a lifetime: Maybe even longer. I know for a fact she wouldn’t want us to let her death drag us down, and she would want everyone here to go on with their lives and seize the day rather than sitting around feeling sad. Just because someone is gone, it doesn’t mean they have to fade away. Hopefully everyone here will honor her by trying to do one good thing in her memory, whether it’s eating better, being kinder to others, or even promising to be more authentic to themselves.
