Honoring Memories

If I'm ever asked, I always say that I was raised in a "two-parent" household.  It wasn't in the traditional sense; but I still had my mom and grandma.  In a lot of ways, they functioned in the particular gender roles.  Both worked.  My mom's schedule was more of the dad's schedule and my grandma had the morning nurse's shift.  She was always home when I got home.  She was usually the one who did the cooking.  And she was the one that I felt was the nag.  "Clean your room." "Make your bed."  "Get your homework done."  

As I grew, I learned to love my grandma as more than that.  She was my mom, too.  All of those things that I used to hate hearing, I wish I could hear now.  Gran died in 2008.  I would give anything to hear questions like, "Is your laundry all caught up" or just to be "inconvenienced" by taking her to yet another doctor's appointment.  The only thing I have left are my memories.  

Each year, I did something for her on Mother's Day.  After she died, I decided to not give up that tradition.  Elderly people were near and dear to my grandma - especially those that end up forgotten in nursing homes.  She was always thinking of others and trying to find ways to help them.  This was important for me to do in her honor.  I came across a program that Meals on Wheels does for Mother's Day - by chance.  It fit.  And now each year, I give in her memory.  It doesn't bring her back, but it sure does help her feel more present - like the gift she was and still is to me.

Do you do anything special to honor a lost loved on holidays?  And to my mom and all of the other moms out there, Happy Mother's Day!