I read of a man who stood to speak,
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on his coffin,
From the beginning.... to the end.

He noted that first came his date of birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That he spent alive on earth...
And now only those who loved him
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;
The cars... the house....the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.                         Linda Ellis

My sister Erin shared this poem with me and after reading it I felt it was the perfect way to begin sharing what I loved, and I think we all loved, about our Nana.

She lived her life with open arms and a huge heart…a heart that was so full of love. I believe that it was her mission to live her life sharing that love to the best of her ability…that was her vocation.

She played a large role in shaping some of my key values:

-          The importance of family and togetherness

-          The importance of one’s faith in God and giving thanks for our blessings

-          The importance of giving to others .. giving something as simple as our own time to those who might be in need or be happier as a result of it

Many of you may know that Nana was gifted at many things… writing, painting, sewing… she was musical, and an enthusiastic and creative host. As her grandchild though.. I must say that I think she was most gifted at being a grandmother.

Growing up, Nana made our time together so much fun. During our younger years there were memorable mystery dinners, fun crafts to tackle, games to play or outfits and jewelry to dress up in. Many times, enjoyment was something as simple as listening to her and Grampy tell stories of their youth..and the days raising their young family back on Carter St. Regardless, it always felt like we grandkids came first…our enjoyment was her top priority.

Holidays were also very important to Nana…. her favorite was Christmas Eve. She would spend the entire year planning and crafting to prepare for that one night. We grew up singing carols around her at her piano and anxiously awaiting Santa’s gifts…why? Because Nana worked so hard to hand craft something special each year. Her gifts were always personalized to each individual. She had a special way of knowing just what little touch would bring a smile to our faces. I think she lived each day looking forward to that night…because everyone was together…and her planning and hard work always created so much happiness.

When Nana passed I spent an entire day reading through her poetry that dated back as far as 1981. I’d like to share one of her poems with you…one that I think she would want me to read today..

Tender Thoughts

So few days left for 1982

Have I accomplished in this year, all I should do?

This year has been shadowed by losses to me

But life never stays the same; changes sometimes painfully

I’ve learned in the past tho, that time tends to heal

The sadness of today, tomorrow we may not feel

To accept our destiny and to do the best we can;

In our vocation in life, fulfilling Gods plan

When my life is past, I would like for mine to feel

Tender thoughts in memory of me when in church they kneel

Giving thanks for their blessings, add a prayer for me too

As the candle flickers on the altar may it remind them… “I loved you”

We loved you too Nana.