How do you distill a life into words on a screen?
That’s the thought I have as I write this today. Last week Josh’s grandmother, Caroline, known to us as “Amma” died due to complications following a stroke. We spent most of last week traveling to and from Virginia, going the viewing and the funeral.
Amma was someone I looked up to, despite having known her only nine years. I have often said I want to model my old age after the way she lived hers, if at all possible. She was energetic, hospitable, and always serving. When visited, she’d be the earliest person awake, making a hot breakfast for us each morning of our stay. She would have already read her Bible and prayed, and you could tell, because she was strong in faith for the Lord. She served in her church, visited the “old folks,” exercised regularly, and just the week before her death, served and spoke at a homeless shelter. On more than one occasion, she spent months serving a ministry in New Mexico that met the needs of Native American Indians on reservations. She’d organize and cook in the kitchen, teach the Bible, and teach women work that they could do to make a living.
We last saw her the weekend of Thanksgiving. On our way home, I drove Amma from where we were staying with Josh’s aunt and uncle in Staunton back to her home in Winchester, Virginia. Josh drove her vehicle home for her. On what was to be my last conversation with Amma, we talked for about an hour and a half. I learned more of her growing up years (she was one of sixteen children), her years of service through the Church of the Brethren prior to marriage, and how she met her husband and got married. I learned of their early years of marriage as he made a living as a trucker and she made a home in a trailer and had two children in quick succession. I am glad for that conversation.
Amma shared her excitement for starting a new Bible study with the ladies of her church. So when we entered her home after her death, where everyone was hanging out prior to attending her viewing, my eyes misted with tears as I saw her Bible open on the table with her study book. It was where she left it the morning of her stroke.
I immediately captured the image, before it could be moved. It is the portrait I want to remember of Amma. It will be my last memory of her.
Thank you for taking a picture of this Danielle. It is something that I could not do as I was overly emotional in response to it and by the time I was back in the house it has been moved. I am glad to have this photo to remember her by. All that you have spoken of her is beautiful and true.
That means a lot, Beth. I’ll send you the pictures.
Oh man, so beautiful. She sounds like the kind of woman I hope to be too!
Those pictures are so touching, and that last conversation you shared with her, what an absolute blessing. I am so sorry for your families loss.
Thanks Joyce! I will look forward to more stories from you about Amma! đŸ™‚ Love you too!
Thanks, Danielle. I’d love the pics, too.I wasn’t sure I’d be able to read this when I saw the title “Caroline”. Your words were beautiful, and you’re correct – there is no way to “distill a life into words on a screen”.
I could tell you SO many stories of her life – my heart is so full of the love she gave me for 38 years.
I couldn’t move her books when I saw them, either, (or the word-find book in the bathroom), but I did read her notes in the bible study book, and wrote them down for Chuck to share at her memorial. It was pretty amazing which scripture she was studying that morning.
She exemplified a “Proverbs 31 woman” and was an example to many.
We surely expected to share many more years with her here on earth, but what a comfort to know that she is where she longed to be, and that she had the honor of “graduating” early.
As Beth has put it before (when speaking of a “Proverbs 31 woman”) she was “more precious than jewels”.
May we all follow her example…
Love you!
This is a beautiful post. So sorry for your loss.
I’m struck by the title of the book “Lord teach me” – for someone so firm in her faith to have that as her heart’s posture, it’s something we can all learn from.
Provoking photo, words and life of this woman dear to so many. Thank you for sharing it all with us, Danielle.
what a beautiful tribute. so sorry for your family’s loss.
[…] year started off with the sudden sadness of Josh’s grandmother’s death in January. This past Christmas her loss was felt once again more acutely. Then Josh’s […]