Thursday, November 12, 2015

The Strongest Woman I Ever Knew ... Was Paralyzed

My son, Tommy, at Grandma Alma's grave ... we came down from our 
home in the North Carolina mountains to visit.























The Strongest Woman I Ever Knew ... Was Paralyzed
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@GeeGranny on Twitter
























My Grandma Alma ... the strongest woman I ever knew ... she was paralyzed.
George, the only grandfather I ever knew, the kindest man I ever knew as a child.
George was blind ... yet, you wouldn't believe the amazing things he did ............





When I was a little girl I remember
Seeing my Grandma Alma knead bread with one hand
Squeezing each biscuit out to pat in the pan

I watched her pull taffy
Stretching it out very long
Taking a knife ... cutting it in uniform pieces

She made cinnamon rolls rolling out the dough
With butter, and cinnamon, sugar
Oh my!  How good they were

I watched her walk holding onto a walker
Dragging one leg as she went
Smiling a happy smile as she tried to walk

My Grandma Alma was a special soul
Though she could cuss like a sailorman
She could cuss, raise Hell with the best

She was herself, didn't try to be anyone else
I loved my Grandma Alma ... she'd fight for me to the end
Throw a glass of ice water on anyone to make them leave me alone

Grandma Alma ... was paralyzed for the last part of her life
No matter ... she was spunky, could hold her ground
She was quite the colorful character ... a kind, beautiful soul

She had that fighting spirit she passed on to me
If you fall down get your ass up off the ground
Brush it off, take care of business






















My Grandma Alma as a young woman .....




I won many battles in my growing up life
Being like my Grandma Alma whom I loved with my Heart
Each time I wonder where I got my fighting spirit I think back to her

Grandma Alma made quite an impression on me as a child
I never got to thank her, let her know
For leaving a part of herself with me to help me grow

Grow up to be stronger than strong
One who rolled with the punches
No matter what ... get that ass up off the ground

If she could do it being paralyzed
I should be able to do so
Wipe the tears away ... go on

Sometimes ... life throws more than I can handle
I think I'm going to lay down, give up
When I do ... the fighting spirit takes over for me

It puts steel in my backbone
Makes me stand up straight
Look life in the eye ... face life head-on

Either I'm going to win or I'm going to die
Trying to make things alright once again
So far ... to this day ... I am still here

Fighting spirit from a loving grandma
One who never gave up ... though she couldn't walk
I honor my Grandma Alma today

Thank you Grandma Alma ... I wish you were alive
Today to see your granddaughter ... know the things
She has gone through, survived

You would see yourself in her ... she's tough as you
In fact, you'd see your fighting spirit was passed on
To several of your grandchildren who lived with you

I wish you were here today so, I could sit down, talk
Hold your good hand, thank you for being you
My Grandma Alma whom I loved with my Heart

Thank you for instilling in me honesty, pride
Kindness, loving and caring, fighting spirit
Without them ... I wouldn't be here today






Note by this Author:



Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@GeeGranny on Twitter/Facebook.com/grannygee





Grandma Alma was the strongest woman I knew as a child.  Yet, she was the weakest being paralyzed.  She never gave up.  She had a stroke and lived twenty-some years before she died in her seventies.

I saw my Grandma Alma's fighting spirit when she raised Hell ... to protect one of her grandchildren. She was tough, yet so gentle.  Her good hand could slap hard as well as be soft, loving to a little child.

When she died ... I grieved deeply for many years.  She was my mama when my mama ... wasn't.  My mother made up for that many years later, and was the best mom in the world.  She just had to grow up, mature ... she did.

I lost my mother and her death was full of questions that has taken some years to know what happened.  I've coped with it ... it wasn't easy.  Almost ... everyone who knew what happened to her ... has gone ... almost. They live with a lot inside for the rest of their life.  I couldn't do it knowing what they do, what they did.

Skip and I were talking about all the members of my family on maternal, paternal sides.  Not many of them died ... naturally.  Some died leaving a lot of questions, so much grief in my Heart.

Some died in freak events ... such as suicide that might not have been suicide, log truck head-on crash, drugs, just ... crazy-ass things.  I won't write any further ... I live with so much grief ... I feel it wanting to come to the surface ... like fish in water.  Twenty some family members ... the very people I loved with my Heart ... gone ... just like that.

The worst being the loss of my only child, my son ... Tommy.  I sure have come a long way in Life ... it's possible I wouldn't be here after Tommy's death ... if I had died I'd never known the difference. My Grandma Alma's fighting spirit helped to strengthened the steel in my back, lift me off the ground ... baby step by baby step until ... today ... I am for-real alright.  Like her, I fought like Hell ... I'm here today.

Photos, poem written/owned by me ... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee

1 comment:

  1. I remember your Grandma Alma. You are right!! She was a tough one but also a kind and gentle person too. You can't help but miss her. She was good to her grandchildren. I know she loved you with her very heart too. Even though she was paralyzed, I do believe she could still kick butt!! Love, Ms. Nancy

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