We were at the beach for an extended weekend to celebrate Barry’s birthday when we got the call that my grandma’s health had taken a turn. I was advised, by my family and grandma, not to cut the trip short and enjoy the time with our friends. I felt very torn about what to do, but ultimately decided to stay the final night as we’d originally planned. That evening, I really didn’t feel like going to the beach to watch the sunset, I was too busy feeling sad, but Nicole encouraged me to go. Just as the previous nights on the beach had made me feel so alive and blessedly full of life, that final night had a different, more calming, tone. Mother Nature put on a spectacular show, reminding me that sadness and beauty can go hand-in-hand. Who knew that in the coming days, as I got to say goodbye to my grandma in the most special way, I’d notice the beauty, beneath the sadness, in her way of dying. We tell Maggie when she’s sad after a play date, that it means she had a really great time with her friend. Well, I think my grandma must have been a great play date for me, because I’m sad it’s over. And that’s a beautiful thing.
"If you don't see the book on the shelf, write it." ~ Beverly Cleary
