My Precious Love

I remember when I was a little girl, my grandmother would take me to the hair salon with her. I’d get my hair curled in Shirley Temple curls and she’d get what we called Sista curls. She was the diva and I was Diva Jr.! Everyone in that beauty shop loved my grandmother. I don’t really remember much of the conversations held there, but I do know that my grandmother would have everyone laughing, hooping, and hollering from the time we got there until the time we left. She was so fierce it’s unbelievable. I still go to the same beautician now and when I’m there, she lets it be known that I’m Dorothy’s granddaughter. I quietly reminisce about my grandmother all the time, but especially today. She would’ve been 58 years old today. It doesn’t even seem like she’s been gone 10 years! I can remember so many things about her like she was just here yesterday. She was so full of love and she’d do anything for anybody. She loved purple pens...wouldn’t write with any other color. I can still remember what her handwriting looked like. It was beautiful and her D’s and H’s were so pretty to me. I can even remember her smell. She always smelled so good and she would always wear really high heeled shoes. She would let me come to her job with her and hang out all the time. Everyone would cater to me and get me anything I wanted. I can remember my mom, her and I would go shopping on weekends. If there was anything I wanted, I had it. No questions asked. After shopping, we’d go out to eat and she would always leave the waiter or waitress a fat tip! That was just the kind of person she was. My grandmother absolutely loved jewelry too! She had a ring for every finger, bracelets galore, earrings, anklets...etc. As a matter of a fact, I have one of her rings now that I wear every single day. Her cooking was to die for! I mean, that woman could make anything taste good! Even Spam! She and I used to watch cooking shows together all the time. (not sure why I didn’t pick that up from her) She’d be standing in the kitchen pigeon toed, stirring so hard her whole body would shake. I remember she loved hot baths too. She would soak in the tub for hours. Her skin was so soft. She lived with me and my mom for a long time while she was sick and although we were already close, we grew closer to each other during that time. If I was in a different room and she wanted me she’d say, “Ms. Gitrey...come here precious” To her everyone’s name was precious or sweetheart or something that made you feel good inside. Nobody could ever make me believe she had even 1 enemy in this world because everyone couldn’t help but to love her. There wasn’t a mean bone in her body. I love and miss that woman so much! She always knew how to fill my heart with joy. My grandmother was and still is very special to me. I’m so lucky to have been a part of her life. I never really believed in guardian angels until she went to heaven. She is my angel! She comes to me all the time. Not in ghost form or anything like that, but in numbers. For example, I always see the clock when it’s 2:26 or 6:22. (Her birthday and death date) My last apartment number was 2226. Just little things like that let me know she’s always with me in spirit. She’s even come to me through another person before. It was one of my patients and this particular person knew absolutely nothing about me but my grandmother spoke to her. As she was getting her blood drawn this woman told me my nick name and said that my grandmother was deceased and she knew we were really close. She knew things about me that nobody would know. She kept asking me questions and finally I asked why? She said because your grandmother wants me to tell you to start going to church. I was so shocked but I believed that lady. My grandmother was an amazing person and nobody could ever fill her void in my life. I wish I had more time to spend with her but I understand that she served her purpose on earth and she’s now in her eternal home. She still lives in my heart though and I have enough memories of her to last a lifetime. That’s a blessing in itself! Happy birthday Grandmother! I loved you when you were here physically, I love you now, and I’ll love you always and forever precious!