Grand"Mother" Lillie

Last week, my Sister called and told me that our maternal grandmother was not doing well and she felt I needed to come home. Apparently, she was officially dead for 30 minutes but she was resuscitated. My heart immediately sank because when I left home in July my grandmother was doing well. There was nothing wrong with her that made feel that I needed to worry while I was overseas. However, I listened to my sister and started preparing for a trip back to the States. I called my mom and she stated that she didn’t think I needed to come home just yet. “Just wait” she said. At this point, I am unsure what I am waiting on, but I tried to remain calm and focus my energies on other things. After all, God is in control. Right?

I waited. And waited. And waited. Finally, I received the official phone call to come home.

I jumped on the plane on Monday morning and arrived in Charleston, SC at 10:00 PM on Tuesday night. I immediately went to the hospital to sit with Mother. Her eyes were closed but I could tell that she was up and listening. I read 93 Psalms, her favorite scripture, and then just sat with her expressing my love through touches and kisses. It was very difficult for me to see my grandmother like this, but I tried to remain strong. We (my mother, Auntie Ann, and Amber) played inspirational music for her while we sat around her. The last song we played before we left was “It’s your Time” by Luther Barnes. It was getting late and I could tell she was staying up just for me. So I kissed her good-bye and left the hospital with the intentions of returning at 6 AM.

On our way home, we received the phone call that my grandmother had passed away shortly after we all left the hospital. That was one of the hardest phone calls I have ever received. Yet, I was immediately at peace because I felt as if she waited on ME. I can’t imagine how I would have dealt with all this if I hadn’t had the opportunity to see her alive and touch, hug and kiss her one last time.

As she wished, we planned her funeral within 3 days and it was one of the best home going celebrations that I have ever attended. I think everything went flawlessly and it was a refreshing to be around family and friends, unexpectedly.

A special thank you to all my friends who drove to SC to see me, sent cards, flowers or edible arrangements: SRA family, Nicole Scott, Tricy Liferidge, Naidra Hemingway, Nneka Wells, Lennox Browne, Crystal Dickerson, LJ Raines, Lisa Ernest. Your support was greatly appreciated by my family and me.

To Mother: I love you and miss you. I will always reflect on the life lessons that you have instilled in me. My affection towards others is what I know I have learned most from. Being appreciative of all things given to me and expressing my love to those around me are what I value most from you. Until we meet again…