attitude is everything

"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances." ~ Martha Washington


This goes out to my grandma Leona, who turns 83 years old tomorrow. Grandma fell in her assisted living bathroom the other day, and lay there for 3 1/2 hours until a maid found her. Nothing is broken. ... Quite unlike the time about 3 years ago when she tumbled from a stool in he kitchen, broke her knee, managed to crawl to her bedroom, and spent the night on the floor until my uncle broke in her door the next morning. ... Or the time about 13 years ago when her car flipped at high speed and crushed much of her sweet little body.

It is by the grace of God and by the adherence to an adage cross-stitched in a frame above her dresser that lovely Leona is serenely with us today. That quote says: "Attitude is Everything."

Someday, I will write an homage to my lovely "Grandma Sweetie," entitled "All I need to Know About Life I Learned from my Grandmother." She has faced true obstacles her entire life, and never, ever fails to dust herself off (sometimes literally) and count the blessings that remain. Every single time.

Grandma is a frail 83, and is now reliant on a walker. We are so happy she is in a home that is close to us. Since she won't pull assistance cords or dial 911 because she "doesn't want to disturb anyone," it's reassuring to know that the odds of finding a large bloody gash in her head, like we did a couple years ago, are relatively slim. She perseveres, shrugs it off, looks on the bright side, puts a shiny red foil heart sticker on your greeting cards, gets excited about Bingo and arts & crafts, wakes up every morning at 5 on the dot, and hugs you with a bone-crushing strength you wouldn't think possible from such a squat, tiny woman.

You are so very loved, Leona. Happy, happy birthday to you.