Over this past year and a half I have taken most of my life for granted. I have been so concerned about me that I never paused to simply take in the world around me. When I was a child I always went to North Carolina in the summer and spent a week or so with my Nina and Pop Pop. When I was in sixth grade I said goodbye to my Nina, the woman who made sure my hair was always long enough to French braid, the woman who always made sure I had enough Barbies to play with, the woman who never questioned my love for soup, the woman who let me eat tomatoes right off the vine. My Nina was the first person I thought of this morning when I walked out of Starbucks. My Nina never took life for granted. She always paid attention to the little things. She made sure whoever came to visit would find their favorite drink in her fridge, even a Coke in a glass bottle for Larry. She loved dolls and had a huge collection, and she loved going to doll conventions. She made people laugh and smile, even if that meant putting salt and pepper shakers in their purses without them knowing. She made us laugh by dancing to Jingle Bells in April. My Nina still reminds me that I am loved and safe with her watching over me. Although she was not there to watch me graduate from college and she was not there to help me pick up my broken heart, I know she is with me and has always been with me. I have felt her presence as if she is holding my hand and has been with me through this whole situation. This morning as a light wind blew across my face when I left Starbucks, I felt as though a little reminder told me to enjoy the little things, to love with all I have, and to know that she is with me through any struggle I encounter.
My Nina, is my saving Grace (her name is Grace), but really she has helped me get out of bed in the morning when I don’t want to and tells me I am beautiful when I don’t feel it. She is the woman I hope to be when I grow up.
Much Love,
Your Molly Francis