call my grandmother

we had been talking a while and then I mustered up enough courage to tell her I am unable to fly back for her birthday party. I began to cry and I still feel sad that I am going to have to miss it. She said that she didn’t want me “wasting the money” on something like this. I told her that I was sincerely disappointed and she told me it wasn’t anything to cry about.

It’s hard to hear her respond with that, but I know her well enough to understand that’s her way of being disappointed too. Then she did tell me that she was happy to see me the other week and that our regular phone conversations mean a lot more to her than just one day. I know she means it. I will really be sad that I can’t be there in September. Ugh.

this goal. It’s been over a week and a half since I last called her and I am actually avoiding it this time. I need to tell her that I am unable to fly back to be at her 80th birthday party. Part of me feels sick to tell her, yet my gut says that it’s the right thing to do.

regular. Completing this goal makes me feel so awesome! I am regularly calling her on weekends. I didn’t get to talk with her Easter Sunday, so I called today and left a message. I called a little later and we talked for a while. At the end of each phone conversation she tells me how happy she is that I have called. Today she told me, “It’s calls like this that keep us old people going”. That brings tears of joy to my eyes! I plan to continue this goal regularly, though I am marking it complete. If I ever find I have stopped calling, then I am going to add it back to the list. I have a feeling I won’t have to do that.

to grandma for a long while today. It was wonderful!

I left a message for her on her machine.

I initially marked this as a finished goal, but realize that keeping it open will help remind me to call. My goal is to call her often enough that she isn’t so surprised to hear my voice and that we aren’t strangers to one another’s world. Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly? So far it’s once.

this morning and she was happy to hear from me. She even said she’s missed getting a letter from me! What would it take for me to establish regular communication with her?

was showing everyone who visited. How cool is that? I am happy to hear that it is meaningful to her. I am going to write her again soon.

After not speaking to her for close to 10 years, I finally sucked up my guilt and called her a few weeks ago. She was surprised but really happy to hear from me. I’ve been visiting her every week since. She’s a bit worse for wear lately due to age and I almost regret waiting so long. The good part is, we have reconnected and I feel better already.

I think I will sit down and write gram a letter tonight.