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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Legacy

I have my mother’s mother’s eyes. In the 25 years that we shared, my grandmother and I never commented on that fact, though I was often startled to see my own eyes looking back at me, all bluish-greenish with a ring of amber around the pupils.

This past summer, she passed away at 93. When I traveled home for the funeral, I found a book she wrote in when my sister and I were tiny one year olds, in May 1982. It was one of those books that grandparents are supposed to fill out for their grandchildren, giving some background on their life so that when they are gone they don’t take everything with them. My grandmother’s book was characteristically short and to the point, without much elaboration. Most questions had one-sentence answers, if they had answers at all.

One of her answers, though, caught my attention. I don’t remember the question, even, but I think it was something about “what family traits do you notice in your grandchildren?”

My grandmother’s answer:

“Aaron has my eyes.”

I never knew she realized that, too, but I love her for it.

Posted by Aaron on September 19, 2006 12:08 AM

Comments:

That's sweet Aaron. Grandmas really do notice everything!

Damion
September 19, 2006 8:23 AM

Your grandma did love you Aaron and I am sorry that you are going through this hard time. I will pray that God gives you peace and joy in this time that is so hard. I have not heard from you in a while and I miss ya. :)

Gina
September 20, 2006 8:00 AM

I love family memories. I hate losing family members. There is a comfort in knowing that they share the same memories and love them just as much as you.

I hope things are going well in your world. Sorry I haven't been that great at keeping in touch. Grad school classes just finished for the term and things at school are slowing starting to settle in. Why am I a teacher again?

skoutz
September 20, 2006 7:45 PM

That's beautiful to notice such a thing. Every time you look in the mirror you will see her eyes. P.S. if you got the latest Streets record, there's a song on it about a father's leagcy, Never Went To Church, that always brings tears to my eyes...

jon d
September 20, 2006 8:57 PM

Aaron, you're lucky to have that tangible link to your grandmother, not just the eyes that you share, but the book with her words, however brief they may be. Treasure them.

Roger
September 21, 2006 2:25 PM

Short though they be, we play those lines over and over in our heads for the rest of our lives, fondling them, as though they were keys to something we need to learn.

farmboyz
September 23, 2006 11:36 PM