This blog is dedicated to my grandmother, Mary Alice Crawford, who was the definition of "Grandma's Hands". Thank you for everything that you've shown me over the last 31 years of life. I've got it from here. I love you. -Shon.
To many, my grandmother was known as Mary. To those that were close and myself, she was Memaw. She would cook you up a good meal any time of the day and straighten you right up at the same time. She would take you in, feed you, clothe you and strengthen you with the word of God if you needed. Memaw took no mess either. Not one bit. If she said that you were going to church, then you had best be ready with your Sunday best on, and don't you go embarrassing her in the church pews. If she said that today was cleaning day, you had best be up with the mop and broom in your hand. That clothing that you were about to throw away because you thought it was torn, nope. To Memaw, she could fix it, but that didn't mean she would do it for you again. She grabbed you and that shirt, some needle and thread, and teach you how to fix it. Once she felt like you were old enough to learn how to cook or if you kept coming into the kitchen while grown folks were talking, you were going to be shucking some corn or snapping some peas, child. I could go on and on about Memaw, but I want yall to get to know her from my eyes.
The first memory I recall with my grandmother is having to go and leave with her for a while because my parents weren't able to care for my siblings and me. We had only gone out there for summers for long period of times, but that was it. We didn't "stay" and I was honestly really nervous. I was 8 and didn't know really anything about the country or the schools. Back in the '90s in the country, there wasn't a lot of diversity and my older sister and I ended up being the only 2 African- American students in the school. Culture shock to say the least. Yet, Memaw taught us how to hold our heads up and to be proud of the color of our skin. See Memaw was born in 1945, so she dealt with a good amount of it. If you get it, you get it. I learned to "love thy neighbor" because of this particular memory. I learned that love is love, no matter the skin color or background. I learned that family helps family in their time of need.
There are so many things that Memaw taught me and I thank her so much for being there for us when my parents couldn't. For showing me how to pray because I find myself doing that so much nowadays. Writing this, I am finding myself smiling with pride instead of shedding tears as the memories are so grand. I have so many that I could live on for the rest of my days. Yes, I miss her and I just really want to hug her again and feel my grandmother's hands. Until then, I will look for those hands in Heaven. If you have lost a loved one, leave a comment down below a memory with them. We'll continue to remember them together.
I love you Memaw, forever and always.
Shonda.
Mary Alice Crawford
1945-2021
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