This story isn’t new to me...I’ve known it for over a month now.
When I first heard it, my immediate thought was, “I need to share this!”.
But I couldn’t.
I wasn’t ready.
I had to process this story, because it touched a part of my self that I rarely interact with.
The part of my self that electrifies when I see it.

The story goes like this...
Dad has talked a lot with us about his memories; before the accident, after the accident.
It’s so intriguing to ask what he does and doesn’t remember. What he remembered day in and out at the time, but has completely forgotten now.
Some things are harder to hear. Moments of love and hope for you, that you shared together, he’s hearing about for the “first time”.
Some are humorous; the moments he didn’t remember something really important, but remembered something worthy of forgetting.

Some of you knew about Grandma Lou.
If you do, you are some of the luckiest humans on the planet.
If you don’t, I’d love to share her stories with you.
Dad’s mom was the definition of joy for anyone who even had the off chance of meeting her. Her greatness lives in infamy.
Grandma Lu left us December 2nd, 2019.
The day she talked about endlessly; when she would be united with her husband, John. She prayed to be with him again, and she was.

I asked Dad about his memories, once, over a month ago.
He talked about all of the things he couldn’t remember; the meeting, the bike ride home, the ICU. Then, his voice perked up.

He said, “Laurel Annie! Do you know what my first memory was?!”

Uh, no.

”I was in a helicopter, or something that was loud and flying. I didn’t know what was going on, or where I was. And then, I saw Grandma Lu! But it wasn’t all of her, it was her floating head!”

Ok.

”And all she did, was smile at me, and say, “John E, just do what they say, and it will all be okay!”

Stunned is the word you should probably use, but there’s got to be something better.

That is exactly, precisely, down to the letter what Grandma Lou would say. She’d smile, and smile more after because she’d be proud of her rhyme. She’d say it in a sing-song way, like an off handed comment while focusing on another task. 

So that’s it.
That’s the story.
She was there. Somehow. She was there. And that is exactly who would, and should be there. In that moment. In whatever world or universe. She would be there. And she was. ❤️