This post is dedicated to my grandmother.
I miss you granny.
My grandmother passed away when I was in college. We used to live in the same city and meet at least once a week in the last few years of her life.
I don’t remember liking her much – not the way I remember liking grandpa, but I also remember spending beautiful moments with her as a little girl.
She was the one who taught me so many things in my summer vacations – cooking, playing cards, knitting, reading…. She told me lying and stealing was bad. She told me bad words are bad, even if grandpa uses them.
Today I don’t have her with me. All I have is her recipes, her memories and of course her soft toys.
My grandmother was a working woman. After she turned 60 she retired from office. She took interest in stitching after that. She made me pretty dresses and cuddly soft toys. I still have a few of them – the big tiger, the pink panther, my peach dog Prada and many more including her last one which she couldn’t finish.
Today as I went through granny’s old pictures to get a good snap for a frame in the new house I remembered all the great time we had spent together. The summers, the shopping sprees, the History lessons, the dosa making …
Thanks granny for all that you have done for me.
Although I think grandpa was the most handsome man that I have ever met, I must agree that you two made a rocking couple. Pretty much the best couple I’ve ever met. And grandpa missed you a lot after your death.
I miss granny a lot.
I feel like folding her fragile hand.
I want to apologise for not communicating well, for being impatient.
I want to say sorry if I was cold or rude.
I want to know what she thinks about me now.
I want her to see me go to work – all dressed up.
I want her to tell my boyfriend what I was like – as a kid.
I want to smell her hands and play Chinese checkers with her…
This is a picture of my grandmother. Isn’t she beautiful!
Greyindecision 
She’s very beautiful, as Grandparents are special. They do so much for the family and are an inspiration. There are something’s you can’t forget, the memories that we have with us can create memory books for grandparents.
Because she’ll stay forever in our heart,It is rare when a day passes by without thinking of them which they have taught or shared
they are indeed one of the greatest treasures of life.
And now on this stage we are there due to their blessings.
nice blog , they will be proud of you , great.
LikeLike
she’s very beautiful,shes the inspiration for the family.
the memory of them lives in our heart, in pictures and in letters.
It is rare when a day passes by without thinking of my grandparents who taught us or shared so many things. They are, indeed, one of the greatest treasures of life.
we have so many memories that we can write a book on it.
Because forever is where she’ll stay forever in our heart.
there blessings are always there with us.
nice one Dev, they will be proud of you ,great.
LikeLike
Nicely written. i like posts like these, that portray simple yet strong feelings with ease. I think you should write more on her, what she did and how she was.
keep writing!
LikeLike
She’s very beautiful Dev as is the post. I am sure she would be proud of you for writing this so beautifully. Thanks for sharing your memories. I will call my granny today 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you for sharing this with me, Dev. Curiously it made me think of my own grandmother, a formidable matron in her own time but enfeebled by age now. Your grandmother was a very special lady and I’m sure she realized that she had a very special human being for her grand-daughter.
LikeLike
Hey Dev..
Beautiful post i must say!! suddenly reading all this reminded me of so many memories associated with ur granny… i hav spent so much of my childhood at ur granny’s place!! She was a star for what i remember!! her views about the world and politics i still distinctly remember. along with that the fried fish she used to make was awesunn! 🙂
and as u said she used to stitch clothes for u… i hav seen it by myself!! she loved u so much… she always used to talked about. like very proud all the time! i miss her too.. may god rest her soul in peace! U r indeed lucky to have such granny! 🙂
God bless sis!!
LikeLike
dev you grandmom looks beautiful 🙂 love the way u have spoken about her i am gona go home and hug my grandmom real tight.
LikeLike
Never had a chance to meet my own grandmom in person…she passed away while my Dad was just a boy. Makes me think its high time to have some reverences 🙂
I like your post, it was a very personal one, a true tribute and i really appreciate the fact that you have no prejudices sharing something so personal on a blog open to everyone…
Cheers for that
LikeLike
Devdarshini,
(It’s a big name to type. But ‘GreyInDecision’ is even bigger. Some how, I read your title as ‘Grey In Design’ on first – every time. Anyway.)
I believe most people in our age-group (I’m not trying to guess your age) can greatly relate to this state/phase of life you’ve portrayed. Although, we may have our unique stories, the common fact remains – their absence often surfaces like a child’s question you don’t have an answer for. My grandmother ‘Ba’ passed away in last October.
Unlike my grandfather, she always used to be quite keen and excited about how we were growing, how great we – her grandchildren – were doing. I couldn’t curse my professional ambitions any lesser, because I was too far when she passed away. It was my first day at new workplace, and I was too far to reach home in time. It may be immaterial as she was already gone, but it often gives me this feeling of ‘failing her’ being a loved grandson.
May be because I was the youngest of her grandchildren, she had this special curiosity in every little thing in my life. It never seemed too important and I always felt it was sufficient that I managed to visit her every time I visited my own parents in Gujarat. Now that she isn’t around, every time I go home, I realize how I failed to give her all the time and importance she deserved.
Worse is the feeling of lost opportunities. I could never show her my own house in Pune – something she was very proud of.
It’s one touching article I’ve read in quite some time. The best part about this article is – you’ve kept it simple, straight and used rather honest words, than glamorizing it with artificial/unreal emotions out of some thesaurus.
Loved it! Keep writing.
-Rahul
LikeLike
My father wrote an article soon after my grandmother passed away – it happens to have one of very old pictures of my grandmother. I do have a lot of new ones, but I specifically love this old one.
http://blog.desaieyehospital.com/2010/10/condolence.html
LikeLike
Well written. Very touching
LikeLike
Dev,
I started weeping while reading the post.
I also want to say sorry to her for not having an ideal relation with her.
In a way you have expressed my feelings!
Thank you for that.
LikeLike
Thank you Omkar, Saurabh, Kalyan, Ramya, Mitali, Lamelyintuitive, Natalie and especially Varun-dada, Rahul and Mom. All your comments are really appreciated. I am so glad you all read this post.
LikeLike
Dev, you expressed your feelings or emotions whatever that means only her impression (prabhaav) on your life itka aahe ki tu atahi pratyek goshtit tila aathavtes. And she must b showering blessings now also. Ronit came in your life that can b also tyanche tujhyaverche prem. so pray or give thanks 2 God that he gave you such a wonderful grand parents as well as parents also. God bless….
LikeLike
Greyindecision, what a coincidence. I just published a similar article on all that I experienced during my grandmother’s illness and after her death.
Truly appreciate the simplicity of language, honesty of thoughts and the love that you experienced which now remains as memories of your childhood times that you spent with your grandmother. I presume that all that you experienced after her death, as expressed via this post, is similar to what I felt.
Indeed, your grandmother looks really beautiful in the picture. It reminds me of my naani- Aaji ba as we all fondly called her, in her younger days. The more I read this article, the more I relate to my childhood days with my great grand mother who insisted that we learn to cook, knit and stitch.
All the memories always make me feel that the time I spent with my grand parents was just not enough, though I all my summer holidays were spent with my maternal grand parents and my paternal grand parents stayed with us.
This article helped. Thank you for simplifying the process of acceptance of loss.
LikeLike
Hi Dev,
She is indeed a beautiful lady! May god bless her soul.
What a nice article! Complex emotions conveyed in simple words.
It made me think of my own granny.
Keep up the good work.
Pravin x
LikeLike
Hi Dev
Your grandma was as close to me as my mother. I used to be with her every Thursdays in 80s. I never ever missed her delicious fish curry during my visits. She was the iron lady with soft heart. Her face always showered confidence in me and her eyes always emitted warmth and brightness in my life. I will always cherish her acquaintance and not to miss affection from your grandpa and mom.
LikeLike
So well written… when we are young we fail to see our grandparents as treasure troves… of wisdom, love and whatever else. Alas sometimes when we do wake up. it is too late.Dev you have good flair for writing. You should do a bit of family memoirs. We owe it to the coming generations to preserve our rich family traditions.
LikeLike