Happy Birthday, Gram
My grandmother, Bennie Alice, turns 100 years old today. As I write this, I am reminded of how much has changed in her lifetime. The roaring 20s, the great depression, World War II, the 60s, Vietnam, and everything that has happened since then. What a time to be alive and be able to witness so much change.
Gram was born and raised in Dallas, Texas until she met my grandfather, Doug, at a USO dance. Gram was so impressed by my grandpa’s ear for music that she fell in love and left Texas shortly thereafter. After moving around the country with grandpa, they settled back in Easton, Massachusetts where she raised my dad and his three siblings. Gram still lives in the same house she raised her children in and at the age of 100, has no plans to move.
Gram joined us on the island after she retired in the early 90s and has been running the gift shop ever since. As a non-drinker, Gram takes glee in competing with the bar every day where my Aunt Betty and cousin Glenn are the bartenders. It is a friendly competition that goes back as far as I can recall.
Gram may be restricted to a wheelchair now but her mind is as sharp as ever. She is not one to be left out of a conversation and has the ability to be as blunt as she is tender. When I first brought Anthony around to meet everyone on the island, she was so taken by him that she told me I needed to marry him because “he’s such a sweet boy, you might not find another one like him”. I am so lucky and grateful to have a grandmother who didn’t even bat an eye when I came out to her, she simply said “ok, now hand me my tea”.
Spending every summer on the island with Gram has been a tremendous privilege. When I have time, I will sit and play the piano for her. I learned a lot of the old songs she and grandpa would listen to. From the reflection in the window, I can see her tapping her toes and nodding her head, its an image burned in my mind I never want to lose.
She has lived a very modest and soulful existence but what she does have is something to be admired; a loving family including 4 children, 15 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandaughter.
All of her grandchildren are gathering today for lunch and I have been hard at work creating a garden to celebrate her birthday (note; NOT a memorial garden). She hasn’t seen the garden yet and doesn’t know about it either but I know she will love it. Selfishly, I may get the most enjoyment from this garden, as the caretaker, I’ll have the blessing of working in this garden for years to come, always thinking about who it is for and what she means to me.
