And For That I am Grateful

The current fires in Jasper are horrible and devastating. To humans. To animals. To culture. To the western Canadian economy. 

And, at the risk of sounding a bit ego-centric and trivial, they are more than a mere inconvenience to anyone needing to travel from Central BC to Central Alberta. 

On July 21, 2024 after a brief battle with cancer, Grandma Gloria, my last remaining ancestor, was awarded eternity in Calgary. And the round trip to be there to lay her to rest was nearly a 3000km drive. 

We (Jim, Connie and I) decided to make it a circle drive and stop for the night in Kamloops to hang with Brandi, Kore and the girls before trekking through Roger's Pass and onto Calgary.  It was a treat to get an unexpected day with them. And it had been more than half a century since any of us had driven through Rogers Pass. 

Yes, we are that old. 

And the drive, even with heavy traffic including other diverted big trucks and RV's, was beautiful and enjoyable. 

And for that I am grateful.  

We opted to take the north route home, even though it was about 100km further. But I think the higher speed limits and reduced traffic probably made it a faster drive overall on the two day trip.  Even with stopping to visit David and Bobbi in Innisfail and spending the night in Grande Prairie and hanging with Coralie and Greg. 

These 'people connections' wouldn't be normal on a quick trip to Calgary, but the fires dictated our detours. 

And for that I am grateful. 

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Grandma, being of sound mind and genuinely looking forward to eternity, took her brain tumour diagnosis, with its 3-to-6 month prognosis, with dignity and acceptance. 

And for that I am grateful. 

She organized and assigned roles for her funeral service. Chose the music, and determined which songs were forbidden, due to the involuntary sounds playing audibly and constant in her head, while the tumour pressed on the sound receptors of her brain. 

Grandma assigned two of her granddaughters to speak at her service. Neither was me. 

For that I am grateful. 

There would be no "open mic" during the service, however there was a call for all grandchildren willing, to submit a memory or a blurb to be read by a designated spokesperson. 

Write a memory and NOT have to public speak??! Pick me. I am in! 

Here is my contribution of memory and honour of my Grandma Gloria. And I didn't even have to stand in front of a crowd and say it. 

And for that I am grateful.  

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Grandma Gloria has been my grandma since I was nine years old. And she has always just been “Grandma” to me. I never thought of her as “Grandpa’s wife” or “Mom’s stepmom.” She is just Grandma. And I love her. 

 

And for that I am grateful. 

 

I don’t think it was coincidental that the year after she married Grandpa, our customary 2-dollar bill in our birthday cards became a 5-dollar bill. That was a colossal gold mine in the eyes of a kid living in the sticks in Keefers in the early 70’s. 

 

The first time I really felt like I got to know Grandma was when they visited us in Prince George in 1979, just five years into her role as Grandma. (They may have visited before that, but I don’t remember developing a relationship in the same way as that summer.) 

 

One of the days while they were visiting, Mom, Grandma, Jennifer, me and a friend went to the mall. (I’m not sure why Connie wasn’t there, but lucky her…) My friend and I parted ways with the adults and Jen, with instructions to meet back at a certain spot at a certain time. 

 

Mom and Grandma’s shopping time was cut short when Mom got paged throughout the mall to return to Woolco, the olden days “Walmart.” 

 

Where they were greeted by Woolco security and the RCMP. 

 

I cannot even imagine my mother’s humiliation upon realizing, within the presence of her stepmom, that her child had just been busted for shoplifting. Dollar-twenty-nine nail polish. While packing $40 in babysitting money in her wallet. 

 

What I DO remember is overhearing Grandma talking to Mom.  

And if we are all being honest, especially in the early years, Grandma was a pretty stoic, rule keeping, black-and-white, good-and-bad type girl. 

 

Yet, what I overheard her say to Mom, as the RCMP released me to their care, endeared her to my heart. 

 

“It’s NOT a big deal. It’s like smoking pot. ALL kids try it.” 

 

SERIOUSLY! My Grandmother thought this was “not a big deal!”  It was 1979! 

 

Mind blown! 

 

She had no idea that she had just saved me from a grounding, or a lecture, or a belting. 

 

However, I cocked my eyebrow in slight offence. 

 

Pot smoking???!!?

 

C’mon, Grandma! I may not be above slipping a $1.29 nail polish into my pocket. But pot smoking???! I’m offended. 

 

And few months later some kid on the bus gave me a bag of pot… 

 

For the record, I hated it, and it never became a thing for me.

 

And neither did shoplifting. 

 

But I credit Grandma for treating me with dignity, even while not approving my behaviour.  

 

And for that I am grateful. 

 

And through the years, Grandma has had an innate ability to love and include, while holding fast to her morals and belief in Jesus. 

 

And her love and inclusion included my son Jed. 

 

Grandma loved all her grandchildren. 

 

But she held a special love and inclusion for Jed. 

And for that I am grateful. 

 

She knew that when he called, it’s best to just answer and say, “I am too busy right now.” Rather than endure the 47 subsequent unanswered phone calls.  

 

Grandma often said to me, “I know that Jed loves me. And I love him.”  She was so gracious. 

And for that I am grateful. 

 

The summer of 2009, in Kamloops, I got to present my grandson to my grandparents. And getting 5-generation photos was seriously a highlight of my life. 

 

Last year, in 2023, Jim and I became great-grandparents to baby Bec.  

 

If I am a Great-Granny, this makes Grandma Gloria a great-great-great Grandma. 

And she makes a really GREAT great-great-great Grandma.  

 

Everyone has heard of families that have had “that praying Grandma,” who has brought their families incalculable protection and blessing. 

 

Grandma Gloria was one of those.

 

And for that I am grateful.  

 

And now she’s gone. 

 

Who will pick up the slack? 

Visiting Grandma just 90 days before she was awarded eternity with Jesus.