Beth Ann

My grandmother's birthday was yesterday, January 20, as well as my half birthday. Yesterday, unfortunately, I was too swamped with school things that I didn't have time to post. Today, however, I thought it would be a nice tribute to the woman who helped raise me, and make a list of all that she taught me.
      She taught me:

• How to cross stitch- a hobby I keep up with today; it helps me calm down when I get too stressed
• To appreciate a good book and to never leave home without one- I now carry a book with me everywhere I go, no matter the situation, just incase I find myself with some extra time and nothing to fill it
• That soap operas are the best thing to fill up lazy summer afternoons- the story lines are so predictable, yet incredibly addicting
• Shoes are only necessary when leaving the house- if you're inside, they serve no purpose
• Having a sink full of dishes is not important as reading- dishes won't fill your mind with the same complex thoughts that a fantastic book can
• Having an immaculate house only shows people how boring you are- if all you have to fill your time is cleaning, you need to find a hobby, or twenty
• Genealogy is fascinating- she got our family line back to my 14-great grandparents and found how our ancestors traveled from France to Quebec, and then settled into Indiana
• Mowing the lawn is much more fun when you cut it in fun ways- though my grandfather was strict about straight lines, my grandmother and I found it was much more fun to cut it in a large circle; as long as it all gets cut, who cares how it's cut
• You will eat half the berries you collect while collecting them- in their yard, they had two large mulberry trees and 9 cherry trees; a majority of the time we came in with stained fingers and toes, with barely any berries in the buckets. Oh well!
• History is so much more fun to study in your free time than in school- over the summers we would research various things from the civil war to the supreme court justices, and it was a lot of fun; learning it in school is torture
• Families are crazy, but you love them anyway- my family is one big mess, but they're always there for you
• Cheesy popcorn is the best morning snack, and ice cream is the best afternoon snack- everyday in summer, this was the routine food to eat between meals
• Say what you want and stand up for what you believe in even if people disagree with you- my grandmother would say whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted, and didn't care who she offended; she was outspoken and stuck up for herself and instilled these values in me as well

My grandmother was a fascinating, intimidating woman. Unfortunately, she died in August of 2011. Though she can no longer teach me other values and ways to live a great life, I am grateful for what I was able to learn from her in the 15 years I spent with her. These values I will cherish for my entire life, and I will always be thankful for everything she taught me.