This is one in a series of weekly posts from Accidental Mentors subscribers about one of their accidental mentors. Today's guest writer is Wendy DeGroat.
So much of this reminds me of my own grandmother. Baking wasn't necessarily her forte, but I can still smell the brisket cooking for Shabbos dinner and the smell of fish used for gefilte fish (which I bet still lingers in the house where she lived!) And the asking for help part...yes, indeed! She was so surprised when she was terminally ill that I was able to do all the things she liked to do, since I studied her methods for nearly 30 years!
Thanks, Denise! I'd love to hear more about your grandmother some time. I love that you were able to surprise her that way. I imagine it meant a great deal to her to know she'd passed all that on to you.
I relate to this- the difficulty of asking for help. It’s a mixed bag isn’t it? The power to push through, so necessary, but then learning how to head in the other direction? Not so easy. Oh and how old WAS your grandmother when she died Wendy?
Thanks, Maj-Britt. You are so right. That other direction is harder to navigate than one might think. Gram was 91 when she died. Even though she died in Wisconsin (near her daughter), her memorial service was in NJ.
Let Wendy know that her article made me feel like it was just yesterday when we had Grammy with us! Excellent writing with heart felt detail plus very descriptive.
Thanks, Mom. I appreciate the feedback you provided as it was taking shape. It's fascinating how writing serve as both a vessel of memory and a kind of time machine to relive the memory.
A wonderful portrait of a strong woman. Yes, I see how that runs in you and Gloria! Thank you for sharing your memories.
So much of this reminds me of my own grandmother. Baking wasn't necessarily her forte, but I can still smell the brisket cooking for Shabbos dinner and the smell of fish used for gefilte fish (which I bet still lingers in the house where she lived!) And the asking for help part...yes, indeed! She was so surprised when she was terminally ill that I was able to do all the things she liked to do, since I studied her methods for nearly 30 years!
Thanks, Denise! I'd love to hear more about your grandmother some time. I love that you were able to surprise her that way. I imagine it meant a great deal to her to know she'd passed all that on to you.
I relate to this- the difficulty of asking for help. It’s a mixed bag isn’t it? The power to push through, so necessary, but then learning how to head in the other direction? Not so easy. Oh and how old WAS your grandmother when she died Wendy?
Thanks, Maj-Britt. You are so right. That other direction is harder to navigate than one might think. Gram was 91 when she died. Even though she died in Wisconsin (near her daughter), her memorial service was in NJ.
Let Wendy know that her article made me feel like it was just yesterday when we had Grammy with us! Excellent writing with heart felt detail plus very descriptive.
Thanks, Mom. I appreciate the feedback you provided as it was taking shape. It's fascinating how writing serve as both a vessel of memory and a kind of time machine to relive the memory.
Yes, it's a beautiful piece, isn't it. Please share it with all those who knew her. She sounds like a remarkable woman.
Delightful description of your grandmother!
Thanks, Amy!
I agree! I wish I had known her!