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Mike Embley's avatar

I just read all this, in email first and then again here. To me it felt heartfelt, moving, so well-observed, and true. Full of strength … pulling strength out of darkness. No easy thing to do. I don’t know her, of course, but I suspect she’d be proud, very proud, of this and of all the rest. Even as she ticked you off for making a fuss.

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Laura Kidd 💌 Penfriend's avatar

Thank you so much for reading and so thoughtfully commenting, Mike, I appreciate your kind words xo

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Joe Agresta's avatar

Beautiful story. I’m sure she felt all this whether you said it out loud or not. Keep making her proud!

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Laura Kidd 💌 Penfriend's avatar

I'll do my best! Thank you Joe xo

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Tim Parsons's avatar

I felt this keenly. My grandmother was nearly 100 when she died, so there's no sense that she went too soon (although the full century would have been nice!) but she'd been my safe space when I was a kid -- my brother and I had to be kept apart in the holidays so I spent my summers with her. And I think, more than anyone else, she gave me the idea that I could make my own path in life.

Still get sad, all these years on. I guess that means she lives in memories -- as your grandmother will too.

Moving on yet not forgetting -- I guess that's the thing for all of us.

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Laura Kidd 💌 Penfriend's avatar

I'm so glad you had your grandmother to help shape your life like that - what a gift. And I know what you mean, there's no tragedy in my Gran's death either, I'm relieved it was so peaceful when it could have been way more dramatic and awful. So it's interesting the thoughts and realisations that pop up in the wake of it all. I had a full day of feeling SO stupid that I didn't write everything down that she ever told me, but of course that would have been an incredibly weird thing to do in reality! We're lucky to have the memories, aren't we. Love to you, Tim xo

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Caroline in the Garden's avatar

I really enjoyed reading this, but my first thought was for you to turn her stories into songs to preserve her memory, maybe even a whole album of them.

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Laura Kidd 💌 Penfriend's avatar

I don’t feel comfortable telling her story without knowing more details really. I just got the anecdotes over the years and it’s hard to remember them. Something might work its way into a song though.

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