In Memory

This is a photograph of my beautiful grandparents (my Mom's parents.) They've both passed away and I miss them terribly. My Grandmother died in June 2004 and then my Grandpa in Feb 2006. He died of a broken heart. He couldn't bear to go on any more with the love of his life.

This photo was a gift from my Dad to them for their wedding anniversary. They had it hanging in their living room in a big gold and black frame and I remember always looking up at it and seeing a couple so in love.

Now that they are both gone, we had to sell their house. My Mom passed this photograph on to me and I will treasure it always.

They made such handsome couple. They were always dressed impeccably and looked like movie stars. My Grandma had such class and elegance, even much later in her life. My Grandpa would always wear these caps when he went out for his walks and when I went to London for my Grandma's funeral, he gave me his favorite cap to keep. I still wear it often and think of him.

They were amazing people and I miss them terribly. Some people think I look like my Grandma, and that is such a compliment. I was named after her and we were extremely close. I have these great memories of going to their house every Friday night and staying the night. It was something I always looked forward to.

When I was in London for my Grandma's funeral, my sister I and were staying at a family friends house across the street from my Grandparents house. My Grandpa was of course devestated and just emotionally gutted. No one saw this coming and we were all reeling.

After trying to console each other the best we could, it was time for everyone to go to bed. My sister and I walked across the street to the house we were staying at and sat on the steps outside the front door. We were looking up at our Grandparents house and just trying to console each other. Everyone had goneto bed so the house was dark.

I have this distinct memory of looking up to my Grandparents bedroom and seeing the tv flickering in the darkness, and my heart felt like it was going to break in half. I knew my Grandpa was up there, alone. I could almost hear him crying,mourning the loss of his love. Can you imagine being married over 50 years, waking up to that person every single morning and falling asleep next to them every single night. And then one day it all that come to an end. The thought of my poor Grandpa, having to climb into that big bed all by himself and know that he lost his wife forever...it brings a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes to this day. Looking up into that window, I want to put my arms around my Grandpa and just take the pain away somehow. My heart ached for him every day after that night, to think what he was going through.

I had a very special relationship with my Grandparents and still find it hard to believe that they're gone. I think in my mind, they are still alive and living happily at home in London.

I'm going to be traveling to London next year and don't know how I will handle having to actually come to terms with their death. It's scary to even think about.

After my Grandma passed away, my Grandpa came to visit us, which was great because it had been a long time since he'd been to California. One of my favorite memories is going out to lunch with him and listening to these great stories about when he first met my Grandma, and when they got married and how they lived. He said they went without a lot of things, including a bathroom in their small apartment. (They had to use one on another floor of the building.) But even though they were poor and were struggling to keep food on the table and heat in their living room, they never really noticed because they were so happy and in love.

So, this is my Grandparents. I just wanted to share a little bit about them because they were wonderful people and if would have been lucky enough to meet them, you would have thought the same thing.

I love you Yia Yia and Bapou, and I miss you both terribly xo