People grow older, things change, the people change, and life goes on. It will forever be this way. For some it is hard to accept, for others, not so much. I spent so many eventful days with my great grandmother Emma when I was little. I can remember bursting through the door with my Mom behind me, looking for her almost every day. I always knew Grandma would have something fun to do with me after Momma left.

I can remember waiting and waiting for Momma to leave so Grandma and I could get to our project for the day. I loved to cook sweets with her. Red jello and chocolate meringue pie were particularly my favorites. I spent countless hours on my little white stool next to Grandma measuring out cups of sugar and flour. Other days, we would go out into the yard and pick flowers and clean out her bird baths. Cleaning out the bird baths was my favorite thing to do. I loved to put on Grandmas big green rubber gloves just like her and scrub the concrete baths out. We would clean out all three, fill them up with clean water, and then sit and watch the birds come and sit on the edge of the bird baths dipping their beaks in the water and cleaning every little feather for hours. Grandma would tell me every kind of bird that came to the bath, and we would name it together.

I come to Grandma’s house now, it’s quiet… there is no food cooking, or clean bird baths. She always says to me, “Kandy?” That’s what she calls my Momma.
“No Ma’am.” I always tell her.
“Oh, Emma.” She’ll say. “My sweet little namesake.” Every since I was old enough to understand, she’d always tell people I was her “sweet little name sake” and that I was named Emma because I’m “just so sweet, just like her Grandma” It breaks my heart to know that she just sits at home all day by herself. She doesn’t have anyone to cook and clean with or to even talk to. I’m too old and busy to go spend time with her as often as I’d like, just like everyone else. But to see that sweet smile and hear that sweet little squeaky voice of my Grandma’s reassures me every time that she is completely okay with her life, and I should be grateful for what I have.