Nonna

Questa e per te, Nonna.

My nonna, where do I even start? Nonna was amazing and I mean AMAZING. She did it all. She cooked everything, had all of us over for the holidays, was always crocheting something for someone, and talking on the phone with her friends every day. There was nothing she couldn’t do, no matter her age or how she was feeling.

Sounds cliche, Nonna was my best friend. Maybe it was because I was her first granddaughter, or I was the only girl out of 4 kids and she felt bad for me, but we shared a special bond. I used to spend every summer with her, not going home until my mom made me. Nonna’s house was fun, who would want to go home?! The mornings I slept over, Nonna would make me her specialty, “eggs in a cup”, and a small cup of coffee. If you’re Italian then you know, Nonna always gives us a little coffee. Each day we did something different. Some days we would go to her best friend Suzie’s house or go shopping. Other days we were outside in the garden. Nonna was doing the actual gardening and most times I’d just help water and play with the plants. We found creative ways to have fun and be outside. I remember one summer was so hot, she put a little sprinkler out for me to play in, no staying inside for us!! In the evenings, we were either sitting out in the garage as she crocheted or we were watching TV which oftentimes was Nick at Night to watch I Dream of Gennie or I Love Lucy, our favorites! As I got older and didn’t spend summers at Nonna’s, our connection never dwindled, we were always joking around. I used to play little games with her like when she would ask me for a little bit of water, I would fill her glass to the very top where she couldn’t pick it up without spilling or I’d put a literal drop of water in her glass. She always got a kick out of it!

Oh, Nonna. You were a special gem in my life, my heart shattered the day you passed.

Nonna was strong, all the way to the end. When she had a massive stroke, the doctors didn’t give her a lot of time. She was determined to be better. She wouldn’t allow the nurses to put a feeding tube in her as she wanted to feed herself. She wanted to get moving, sitting still was not for her. My family worked hard to get her a throat specialist to help her learn how to swallow. Soon after, she was learning how to hold a spoon, then a glass, then learning how to walk. She did it all, she never let a stroke hold her down. Nonna’s strength gave us another 3 amazing years with her. 3 years to make final memories. She showed us what true strength was in those 3 years.

Nonna taught me so much about life. She taught me how to be patient, kind, and forgive. Nonna never spoke negatively and always saw the good in people, even those who turned their back. She was the kind of person you could always depend on and the one always in your corner cheering you on. It’s no wonder why so many people loved her, she was a wonderful soul. A woman who had gone through so much growing up, never let the negatives of life take away the beautiful spirit inside of her.

My nonna was my life, my living breathing life. She held me when I cried because the anxiety was too hard to handle. She listened to me complain about the smallest things in life. She encouraged me to move forward when life felt hard. She loved me when I was certain I had done wrong. She was the reason I went back to school to get my master’s degree.

We all come from a long line of wonderful, strong women. They carried and loved us from the womb to this world. They always did and do for us when they feel like giving up. Hug your Nonna every chance you can. Hold onto the beautiful memories you create together. I keep my memories close. She may not be here physically, but I carry her spirit with me every day.

Buon Compleanno, Nonna!

Sempre nel mio cuore.