I had planned to post one of our recent Vieques adventures today, but my sweet fireball of a grandma, Mary Dugan, passed away last night. Kind of appropriate that she died on Thanksgiving, don’t you think? She was, and will always be, a huge blessing in my life. In honor of her life, I’m rerunning “Milestone 95″ (below). On Monday: Another adventure from our recent time on Isla de Vieques (wild chickens, a floundering ferry boat, a bioluminescent bay… ?)
Originally posted on July 5, 2010
Milestone 95
On many days she dwells in the memories gathered in crossing ninety-five years. Her journey, begun in 1915, has been richer in people and experiences than in geographic destinations, but travel is travel, whether in distance or time.
A matriarch like no other, my Grandma Dugan also holds a bit of the little girl named Mary within her, making her a completely fascinating and compelling presence in my life. She snoozed through a recent visit having overexerted herself moments before making a break for some enticing flower beds beyond the safe edges of the care center’s outdoor patio. I love that she still finds satisfying a curiosity worth the considerable effort of propelling her wheelchair down a sidewalk.
Her smiles made me smile at her birthday party this past week. In her usual fashion, she flitted about the room greeting her guests, exclaiming at the purple decorations and enjoying all the special attention. When presented with the first slice of birthday cake she insisted I share it with her, bite for bite, enjoying it all the more for having divvied it with me.
Milestones. They encapsulate our memories and plant them in a place we can revisit at will. This year we have celebrated my oldest son’s high school graduation and the life of my Grandma Prior after her passing at age ninety-two. On June 30th we were privileged to honor the passing of but another year for Grandma Dugan. Ninety-five years and still counting…
More:
“Favorite Memory, Favorite Gift”
“Traveling the ‘Mental Miles”
“Tis the Season…”
“Care Center Carols”
“Caroling at the Care Center”
