My Yaya

About a year ago our family got the shocking news that my grandmother who we call Yaya was diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer. This was hard to process due to Yaya being so healthy and active throughout her life. The doctors only gave her 2 months to live. However, those who know Yaya and her personality weren't surprised that she lasted almost a year after being diagnosed.
Though I was sad to hear that she had passed I was happy for her at the same time, her body was showing signs of the cancer- she was getting very weak and was on medication to help with the pain she was in.  She had fought the Cancer with a good fight and was done fighting.
The one thing that was mentioned over and over at her funeral service was her caring capacity. She always gave compliments when seeing her-her kind words always made you feel loved and special. Something that I know I can work better at- showing those I love more kind words.
One of my favorite attributes of my Yaya's was her as some may say- bossiness...I like to say she was just spicy! I always knew that you don't mess with Yaya. I think my earliest recollection of this was when I was probably 8 years old and we were all sitting down for breakfast in her home in LA. She had a window that looked out to her backyard (yaya always took pride in her yard and flowers). While eating we saw a squirrel eating her plants- Yaya grabbed her broom, ran outside in her robe and slippers and started yelling and swatting at the squirrel- you NEVER mess with Yayas plants!
I see a lot of my Yaya in me- maybe too much of the "spiciness" that she had, but I am grateful that I had her in my life. She raised 3 daughters while working a full-time job and taught them the value of working while still being an amazing mother. Its because of my Yaya that I too have been taught the value of hard work while being a mother- something that I think is a very hard thing to balance in toddies world- where you're taught you can't do both.
Yaya was also devoted wife of nearly 60 years. I'm sure her and my Papa Don had their fair shares of money issues, fights, sadness, and of course illness- and they stood by each other for through it all. Yaya was a fighter till the end and those who know my mom, sister and myself know that we too have that same spicy-fighter spirit of not giving up on anything- Im grateful for her legacy and for the life lessons she taught me through example.
It hit me pretty hard how Eliza will never be able to get to know her Yaya like I did in this life. But I'm grateful for the knowledge that I have that the two of them will meet after this life. For the mean time, I'm sure Eliza will have that "spicness" we all have been given from our Yaya and I hope I can teach her through my example the power of a complient.