Forever

“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, and lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies,” –Rudolph Giuliani.

I believe in keeping my Nanny’s spirit alive because she has made me who I am today.

She held me tightly as she said goodbye, little did I know for the last time. I slipped out of the blue convertible after having lunch with her and the scent of her perfume lingered onto my body. The rain pelted against my skin as I walked to the door of my home leaving her fragile body.

My Nanny was a strong person. The strongest person I knew. She walked around everyday with a smile on the outside but on the inside she was distraught.

As people become older, different problems become relevant in their lives. Some may suffer from money problems, family relationships, divorce, children. My Nanny’s problems were unusual and immensely unfair. She suffered as she lost one of her daughters to cancer, put up with my grandpa’s intense Alzheimer’s, and was taken away from her granddaughter, Hayley. She leaned on the remainder of the family for support. She leaned on me for support and I felt important. I was needed.

Nanny believed in good luck. All over her house besides for the extraordinary architecture and designing were little elephants with their trunks up. Today one sits in my room and every night before I go to bed, I hold it in my hands and think. I think of her.

My Nanny had a power. A power where she could walk into the room and make anyone smile no matter how hard their day had been. A power where she could befriend anybody she ever met. A power where she could never hold a grudge against anyone and especially a power where she loved everybody so much it made it feel like we were all her favorite.

I remember my last time with her at the W Club having lunch. She stopped to say hello to every single person that we saw. She was so friendly. I remember that when I told her I was full she insisted I go make another plate. She would always tell me I was just too skinny. I loved that about her.

I feel sorry for those who never got a chance to meet her and I feel grateful that I was her granddaughter. She has taught me to love, to live life with no regrets, and to cherish family. People aren’t meant to be in this world forever, but to be here long enough to make an impact. Although my nanny is gone she has permanently engraved memories into my heart.

Today, I wear her necklace as a symbol that she is and always will be here with me. I hold the elephant she once held and pray for just one more moment with such an amazing person. My Nanny is forever with me