My Dearest Nana Lucy

They say that those who truly love Nature, will find beauty all around them. But, to the woman who never spent a day without fresh flowers in her home, the woman who never neglected a garden and cherished every moment outdoors, she not only found beauty everywhere, but carried it everywhere she went. 

Today, we say goodbye to our dear Nana Lucy: a beautiful woman who loved many and was loved by many more. To those of us who knew her, and ache with her passing, we remember her as a gentle, kind, and sometimes stubborn soul who made the best out of every obstacle thrown at her.

Though distance often interfered with the time my family got to spend with her, it also provided for the sweetest, raw, and most memorable moments. From sleeping at the foot of her bed to waking up and making breakfast together; from going to daily Mass to doing the mere task of grocery shopping with one another—there’s nothing that our dear Nana Lucy loved more than simply spending time with her family. Today, she leaves behind 8 children, 21 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren—all of whom will continue to live with a piece of her in them. 

And although today is filled with sorrow, we carry on as the children whom she loved and nurtured, and the children she prayed for during her nightly rosary. No matter what hardships she faced, every night, she rested at the edge of her bed and softly prayed the rosary, sometimes two or three at a time. We carry on, together as a family, and because of that, she’ll carry on within us. 

We carry on with the memory of the way she kissed our cheeks, softly and by the dozens, never wanting to let us go. We carry on with the memory of our time by the lake with Jidu, picnicking and being her adventurous in a way most grandmothers weren’t. We’ll think of the way she always insisted on doing everything for everyone, not wanting anyone to do anything in her home. We’ll never see a flowery teacup without thinking of the days we sipped chai together. Kon-Kan will always awaken her fondness of family time. Whenever there’s a birthday, we’ll never refrain from singing the entire verse of “How Old Are You” to each other, just as she did, even if it’s through a voicemail. We’ll never be able to see a garage sale again and not think of all the knick-knacks she always seemed to find at them. Each time we smell a rose, we’ll think of her excitement to harness beauty through nature, and whenever we’re excited about something, regardless of how small, we’ll remember the expression of joy she would make just from seeing the smile on our faces. 

Nana Lucy, may you rest in peace now and forever with Jidu, continuing to find the beauty in our dear Lord’s paradise. May we pray for her as she prays for us, and ask her to save us a seat up in heaven, living as the family she always prayed we would be.

September 28, 2014.