When he died…no doubt from the exhaustion of maintaining that lifestyle, I was terribly angry with her. But now, years later, I see it was clearly his choice, just his way of living. I wonder…was this a generational thing? Are we likely to be this way into our later years?

I just don’t know.

I wish you the comfort of memories and time.

My grandmother, who was incidentally a native Hawaiian, died many years ago. Although I was well-acquainted with her as a child, as I grew into my teenage years, and later into my college years, I rarely had a moment with her.

She eventually passed away in her home on the island of O’ahu. I regret never being able to know her better. I think you are fortunate to have been close to your grandmother.

I would recommend that you put together a journal with some pictures and maybe a brief history so that later generations will have a little knowledge concerning her life. I have been doing some genealogy lately and have found interesting facts about the lives of my ancestors. I do not want my grandmother to be forgotten, so I am in the process of organizing information about her (full name, date of birth, jobs held, places lived, important events, life-changing experiences, lessons learned, interests, unique characteristics, etc.). In this way, I feel that your grandmother will live forever.

I do not know if you are a person of faith, but I do believe that after we die, our spirits live on. I feel that one day you will see her again in the afterlife, and it will be a very joyous experience. I feel also that she is watching over you because she loves you very much.

Thank you again for a beautiful expression of love and appreciation for a beloved grandmother.