I loved reading this! So beautifully written. Happy Birthday to your grandma and may she be blessed with a long life and good health. It reminds me of my daadi...I lost her a few years back. I used to visit her place twice a year and always longed for the time spent with her. She was the sweetest, most kind human being, even when she was bedridden in the last few years of her life. This post reminded me of all the beautiful memories I have of her.
And btw...the video at the end is so cute! Thank you for sharing this!
How lovely to read this post, I know our grandchildren probably feel the same way about my husband and I as we are just about to turn 80! Who would have thought, but we make the most of each day, plan ahead and stay happy which is probably the most important thing. Wish your grandmother a belated Happy Birthday from me, and many more to come. 🤗
Oh, Mo! That was the most beautiful and precious post I've seen on Substack yet!!! Your love for your grandmother as expressed in your essay and in your poem....well, it was like you walked along a path before her throwing flower petals in the air and all around in celebration of the glorious woman who was coming our way! What a grand birthday parade! Happiest Birthday to your Grandma! I know she has to be smiling ear to ear having such a tribute written by such a very talented granddaughter! I will be reading and listening to this post again and again! It brings to me my own memories of my grandmothers and how very precious my time with each of them was! Cherished times, such cherished times. Cheers and hugs to you for sharing your love and your grandmother with all of us! You definitely brought the sun out in my day! Love to you and many blessings, ~Wendy
Wendy!!!! Your comment made me smile so wide. I feel so blessed to receive your heartfelt wishes & pass them on! I loveeeeeee the parade example with flower petals, so beautiful! We celebrated with the family at night with Chola Bhatura's! It's a famous north indian dish in my state made with chickpeas & spices 🧡
Wonderful celebration, indeed! Mo, I do hope you plan to make more posts about you and your grandmother and, maybe, with a recipe for Chola Bhatura's or other favorite family loved meals!!!?? (I'm being greedy ;) ) I am sure I am not the only one who would enjoy it!
Blessings and love to you and your grandmom, ~Wendy
"I used to be blissfully unaware. Now I'm too aware for my own good. I fear losing her. Imagining a life without her existence is pretty much panic attack and deep sorrow. More sad than running over puppies or dropping pizza upside down." --Awwww dear, Mohika, I feel you deeply with your words here. My grandmother was incredibly special to me and when she passed away 16 years ago (I even had the blessing of being the only one with her when she took her last breath), I thought my life would never be as good without her as it was with her. I have found that life is brilliantly sweet in so many ways even though she is no longer physically here. She died on August 18, 2008 (8/18/08) so whenever I see 8:18 am or pm on the clock, I always chuckle to myself that it is her reminding me that she isn't gone (and I see this almost daily!). I often chat with her and ask her to come and join me for my morning coffee because we so loved sitting at her table on Saturday mornings drinking coffee and eating donuts. When I was miserably ill with dengue fever last year here in Jamaica and I felt like I just couldn't take it anymore, I had a dream about her and woke up feeling like she was right there with me. Thank you deeply for sharing about your grandma and I'm sending her a big birthday hug from my ❤️ to hers ❤️ Such a blessing she is for you, Mohika, and I can feel the love you have for her. A deep bow and a lotus for you both 🙏🪷
The way you honor your grandmother’s presence, even in her physical absence, is truly inspiring. I can picture you inviting her to coffee, the same way I feel my grandmother’s spirit when I’m least expecting it. Sometimes I think of her and she calls me! Thank you for sharing your story with me, you're my digital comfort friend in this space, Deanna! Iloveyouuuu have a blessed day 🧡
"...you're my digital comfort friend in this space..." awwwww, your kind words made my day, Mohika! Thank you and I love you, too, beautiful soul! 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
Such love and gratitude, Mohika—I am happy grandma is still with you. I knew I had grandmothers but there was never an opportunity to be as physically close as you are as they lived at some distance from me and we rarely met. You have the opportunity to be nourished by love, fed with wisdom that only comes from love. Thank you for sharing and wish her happy birthday from us.
Paul, thank you so much for your kind words. It means the world to me that you’re happy she’s still with me in spirit. I’m sorry you didn’t have the chance to be as close to your grandmothers, but I hope their love reached you in other ways, even across the distance. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by her wisdom and love, and I’ll definitely pass along the birthday wishes. Thank you again for sharing in this with me. It really warms my heart!!!
The loss of a loved one is an event most of us will have to go through in our lifetime. Knowing this in advance rarely makes it easier and we will still go into that moment ill-prepared and feeling lost. The best thing we can do is enjoy the moments we still have with our loved ones and pray their loss doesn’t completely cripple us.
Wishing your grandmother a joyful birthday and many more years of good health and happiness!
I moved in with my grandparents four years ago, and just thinking about losing them brings me to tears and gives me anxiety attacks. They have so much love to share, it's overwhelming.
Thank you so much, Mehak! Your kind wishes for my grandmother mean a lot to me.
I can deeply relate to your feelings. Living with your grandparents must be such a precious experience. It's natural to feel anxious about the thought of losing them. Their love is indeed overwhelming, in the best possible way.
Wishing you and your grandparents many more joyful and loving years together. 🌸✨
you made me cry again tears of joy. Your grandmother and you are such precious, wonderful women I have no words now to honor enough your wisdom and your beautiful souls. I agree with Marilyn, you are gifted with very pure wisdom nuggets and hope that you and your grandmother have many many many many many many more years living and illuminating the lifes of others as you already are. Namaste to you both 🙏🙏🌸🌸✨✨
Your words have touched my heart deeply. My grandmother and I are so grateful for your kindness and warmth. It's such a joy to know that our stories bring you joy. Your appreciation means the world to us. Thank you for your beautiful wishes. Namaste to you too, dear Forrest. 🌸✨🙏
“I see the depth of her love and her unwavering commitment to nurturing life, even in the face of death.” The feeling behind those words gives me shivers—shivers of confirmation that life is greater than we are. I won’t try to talk you out of anything you’re feeling. Life is such a beautiful mystery and I am so happy for you that you have known the love of your wonderful grandmother all your life. I am a grandmother. I never knew mine. I was thinking today how sad it will be for my granddaughter when I’m gone, and then I thought she’ll have someone else to nurture, a daughter or son perhaps, and she will have her memory of me, and I felt better. Someday she may be a grandmother too.
You're a pretty badass granny Marilyn! Your comment made my eyes well up. I'm quite young at the moment and many a wisdom nuggets behind, but I'm learning to love wholly and be utterly grateful for every single moment I get with the people I love. Grandmothers all over the world are a blessing to grandchildren all over the world!
I loved reading this! So beautifully written. Happy Birthday to your grandma and may she be blessed with a long life and good health. It reminds me of my daadi...I lost her a few years back. I used to visit her place twice a year and always longed for the time spent with her. She was the sweetest, most kind human being, even when she was bedridden in the last few years of her life. This post reminded me of all the beautiful memories I have of her.
And btw...the video at the end is so cute! Thank you for sharing this!
Hello Sonakshi, thank you for your beautiful comment. I'm sorry to hear about your dadi. I hope her soul is it peace 🧡
Your Grandmother sounds wonderful,
she truly is, john!!!! <3
How lovely to read this post, I know our grandchildren probably feel the same way about my husband and I as we are just about to turn 80! Who would have thought, but we make the most of each day, plan ahead and stay happy which is probably the most important thing. Wish your grandmother a belated Happy Birthday from me, and many more to come. 🤗
HI SALLYY!!!!!! my grandmother says, Thank you and god bless you!
Oh, Mo! That was the most beautiful and precious post I've seen on Substack yet!!! Your love for your grandmother as expressed in your essay and in your poem....well, it was like you walked along a path before her throwing flower petals in the air and all around in celebration of the glorious woman who was coming our way! What a grand birthday parade! Happiest Birthday to your Grandma! I know she has to be smiling ear to ear having such a tribute written by such a very talented granddaughter! I will be reading and listening to this post again and again! It brings to me my own memories of my grandmothers and how very precious my time with each of them was! Cherished times, such cherished times. Cheers and hugs to you for sharing your love and your grandmother with all of us! You definitely brought the sun out in my day! Love to you and many blessings, ~Wendy
Wendy!!!! Your comment made me smile so wide. I feel so blessed to receive your heartfelt wishes & pass them on! I loveeeeeee the parade example with flower petals, so beautiful! We celebrated with the family at night with Chola Bhatura's! It's a famous north indian dish in my state made with chickpeas & spices 🧡
Wonderful celebration, indeed! Mo, I do hope you plan to make more posts about you and your grandmother and, maybe, with a recipe for Chola Bhatura's or other favorite family loved meals!!!?? (I'm being greedy ;) ) I am sure I am not the only one who would enjoy it!
Blessings and love to you and your grandmom, ~Wendy
Wendy!!! What a lovely idea!!!! I have never posted a recipe online, I could totally try it out!!! Thank you for this ideaaa I hope you’re doing well?
what a beautiful relationship you have with your grandmother. you are very blessed.
i love the phrase "sometimes our words stumble over roots." perfection.
Thanks dear Elizabeth! Your comments always make me smile 🧡🧡
"I used to be blissfully unaware. Now I'm too aware for my own good. I fear losing her. Imagining a life without her existence is pretty much panic attack and deep sorrow. More sad than running over puppies or dropping pizza upside down." --Awwww dear, Mohika, I feel you deeply with your words here. My grandmother was incredibly special to me and when she passed away 16 years ago (I even had the blessing of being the only one with her when she took her last breath), I thought my life would never be as good without her as it was with her. I have found that life is brilliantly sweet in so many ways even though she is no longer physically here. She died on August 18, 2008 (8/18/08) so whenever I see 8:18 am or pm on the clock, I always chuckle to myself that it is her reminding me that she isn't gone (and I see this almost daily!). I often chat with her and ask her to come and join me for my morning coffee because we so loved sitting at her table on Saturday mornings drinking coffee and eating donuts. When I was miserably ill with dengue fever last year here in Jamaica and I felt like I just couldn't take it anymore, I had a dream about her and woke up feeling like she was right there with me. Thank you deeply for sharing about your grandma and I'm sending her a big birthday hug from my ❤️ to hers ❤️ Such a blessing she is for you, Mohika, and I can feel the love you have for her. A deep bow and a lotus for you both 🙏🪷
The way you honor your grandmother’s presence, even in her physical absence, is truly inspiring. I can picture you inviting her to coffee, the same way I feel my grandmother’s spirit when I’m least expecting it. Sometimes I think of her and she calls me! Thank you for sharing your story with me, you're my digital comfort friend in this space, Deanna! Iloveyouuuu have a blessed day 🧡
"...you're my digital comfort friend in this space..." awwwww, your kind words made my day, Mohika! Thank you and I love you, too, beautiful soul! 🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
Such love and gratitude, Mohika—I am happy grandma is still with you. I knew I had grandmothers but there was never an opportunity to be as physically close as you are as they lived at some distance from me and we rarely met. You have the opportunity to be nourished by love, fed with wisdom that only comes from love. Thank you for sharing and wish her happy birthday from us.
Paul, thank you so much for your kind words. It means the world to me that you’re happy she’s still with me in spirit. I’m sorry you didn’t have the chance to be as close to your grandmothers, but I hope their love reached you in other ways, even across the distance. I feel so blessed to be surrounded by her wisdom and love, and I’ll definitely pass along the birthday wishes. Thank you again for sharing in this with me. It really warms my heart!!!
The loss of a loved one is an event most of us will have to go through in our lifetime. Knowing this in advance rarely makes it easier and we will still go into that moment ill-prepared and feeling lost. The best thing we can do is enjoy the moments we still have with our loved ones and pray their loss doesn’t completely cripple us.
Great essay and poem, Mo.
yes, exactly <3 thank you so much Harun!
This is so beautifully written.
Wishing your grandmother a joyful birthday and many more years of good health and happiness!
I moved in with my grandparents four years ago, and just thinking about losing them brings me to tears and gives me anxiety attacks. They have so much love to share, it's overwhelming.
Thank you so much, Mehak! Your kind wishes for my grandmother mean a lot to me.
I can deeply relate to your feelings. Living with your grandparents must be such a precious experience. It's natural to feel anxious about the thought of losing them. Their love is indeed overwhelming, in the best possible way.
Wishing you and your grandparents many more joyful and loving years together. 🌸✨
With warmth,
Mo
you made me cry again tears of joy. Your grandmother and you are such precious, wonderful women I have no words now to honor enough your wisdom and your beautiful souls. I agree with Marilyn, you are gifted with very pure wisdom nuggets and hope that you and your grandmother have many many many many many many more years living and illuminating the lifes of others as you already are. Namaste to you both 🙏🙏🌸🌸✨✨
Your words have touched my heart deeply. My grandmother and I are so grateful for your kindness and warmth. It's such a joy to know that our stories bring you joy. Your appreciation means the world to us. Thank you for your beautiful wishes. Namaste to you too, dear Forrest. 🌸✨🙏
With love and gratitude,
Mo
I believe you’re getting your wisdom nuggets in early and that you will have a very long life filled with wisdom nuggets! Much love.
Lots of love right back at you!!
“I see the depth of her love and her unwavering commitment to nurturing life, even in the face of death.” The feeling behind those words gives me shivers—shivers of confirmation that life is greater than we are. I won’t try to talk you out of anything you’re feeling. Life is such a beautiful mystery and I am so happy for you that you have known the love of your wonderful grandmother all your life. I am a grandmother. I never knew mine. I was thinking today how sad it will be for my granddaughter when I’m gone, and then I thought she’ll have someone else to nurture, a daughter or son perhaps, and she will have her memory of me, and I felt better. Someday she may be a grandmother too.
You're a pretty badass granny Marilyn! Your comment made my eyes well up. I'm quite young at the moment and many a wisdom nuggets behind, but I'm learning to love wholly and be utterly grateful for every single moment I get with the people I love. Grandmothers all over the world are a blessing to grandchildren all over the world!
i’m brimming with joy you found beauty here! a virtual hug to soothe your ache :)