While I do not know with whom or when they started, the poems my Nana would write are famous amongst not only our immediate family but those friends, of friends we have all made through the years. Nana didn't just write poems to me, she wrote them to my cousins, my mom, my stepdad, aunt and uncle, and I'm sure she wrote them to many others as well. Every birthday, or every occasion that warranted a card, you always knew there would be at least a small poem to come with it.
Some of the best poems wouldn't stop. Some poems seemingly lasting forever as we would read them aloud to the audience of family and friends gathered for one of our birthdays. I do believe I have in my possession the record for longest Nana poem, of 11 pages. I believe I received it at one of the momentous birthdays, either 18, 21, or 25. At least as of today, I hope I have it in my possession.
You see, my Nana passed away last night. It really is amazing that she was able to even make it to last night given the fact the doctors originally said that she "might" have 6 months left and that was well over 2 years ago. My Nana wasn't just mine; (although I was the one who created "Nana" as a child) she was Nana to my cousins, my many friends, and to most of the extended family as well.
Nana would write about what was going on in her everyday life as well as ours. She would throw in some historic facts, or write about the weather and how she hoped it would be a sunny day for our birthday. She would write about my favorite sports and somehow make it all rhyme.
Today looking back, trying to hold back the tears of her loss, I realize that most of the good that has been instilled in me was ultimately from her. I know she didn't invent the ideas, but she engrained each and every one of her sayings she lived by in all of us. Some goodies:
Sticks and stones will my break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
Actually, as of right now that is the only one I am thinking about because I remember looking out her window after someone 'hurt' me by calling me a name when I was not more than 5. I remember her telling me that saying and had me repeat it. She was THE master at nursery rhymes. Somehow, she remembered them all from, "Little Jack Horner" to "Mary had a little lamb."
The point of all of this is that everything in life is at least in part emotional. Most of what we really have to hold on to are our memories of the people we have loved. My Nana had no real idea of what or how I do what I do, and there is no way I could ever explain it to her so she would fully understand. Until today I couldn't fully understand how to explain it to her, and it's too late.
I help people establish a plan so all they need to do if something happens to a loved one, is remember and have the time to grieve the loss of that loved one and not worry about anything financially.
