We have special people in our lives that help to mold and fashion us into the person that God created us to be. I have been blessed to have many such people in my life but I would like to share with you about my Grandma.

A Mother’s love is sent from God above. What do you do when your heart has broken, and your dreams have shattered? Many people give up and choose a path of destruction. That was not the case of my Grandmother. Her husband left her and their young children to fend for themselves. It was during a time when divorce was not the norm, and people would whisper about families who had suffered from divorce… like they had a black mark against them.

Grandma chose to raise her children to work hard and to never give up. They survived on little and how they managed to stretch the meager dollars that my Grandma earned is a miracle from God that is for sure.

Grandma also chose to forgive her husband and to not be bitter. She chose the higher path, the road less traveled. Forgiveness is never easy, especially when you have been hurt so deeply. God gave her a forgiving heart and helped her to press on. A Mother’s love raised two wonderful children, who went on to marry and have children of their own.

A Mother’s love brought Grandma to different family gatherings in which we would have to be in the same room with the man who betrayed and hurt her so deeply. She was kind and because we were so young we did not understand how much that meant to our own Mother. How easy it would have been to stay away or to say angry and bitter things. Our family gatherings were peaceful; we were able to experience the love from both of our Grandparents.

My Grandma had a difficult life but she brought joy to many people. She did not dwell on the things that she could not change. My Grandma could not change what Grandpa did to their family. She realized she could make the best of a difficult situation. She did not want her children or her grandchildren to feel like they had to choose between the two of them.

I learned a lot about forgiveness from my Grandma and the way she lived her life. As I have gotten older I have realized that one of the greatest gifts that I can give my children to is live in peace with family and friends. Life is too precious to spend it living with bitterness.