9/12/10

A different kind of loss...
Back in June some emotions got stirred up in me and I all of a sudden remembered something that happened 18 years ago. My cousin blogged about Grandparents Day at her kids school and how her parents were able to go. Today is National Grandparents Day. To the best of my memory this even was 18 years ago today. (well, back in 1992 it was on Sept. 13)

It was Grandparents Day at my school. My mom had just passes away the December before. I remember sitting in the multi-purpose room and there was some program or something like it going on. I remember sitting there feeling sad and a sense of loss. My mom had just died, her parents adopted me making them my parents, meaning I too lost my grandparents. I felt as if they too had died. That connection I had to them as my grandparents was gone.

And for nearly 18 years I blocked out that memory. I forgot about that little girl, sitting in that room, feeling sad. She was still trying to mourn the loss of her mom, but also feels the loss of her grandparents.

One thing I have always admired in my parents is that at Christmas they always made sure to give presents from both Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa. I'm not just saying that because I get twice as many presents, But I LOVE that they acknowledge both those relationships.

So little girl, it's okay to mourn that loss of that relationship. But they never forget that they are both mom and dad and also grandma and grandpa.