Any vivid memories of grandparents?

In June of 1989, my Grandma Jo traveled from Michigan to New York for the occasion of my high school graduation. There is a picture (somewhere) of my Mom and her hugging that I had taken, and that is probably why the memory is so vivid. Grandma Jo was sick with cancer so it was especially significant that she traveled so far from home.

This particular graduation marked the 100th graduating class for Newark Valley and everything from the paper programs to the event itself looked a bit different than previous graduations as a result. It was my absolute honor to have been asked to sing a song of my choosing in honor of the 100th graduating class. I chose to sing a duet with my friend and classmate, Chris, and we performed the song “Friends (are friends forever)”. We were so thrilled that the school approved us singing a song with so many references to faith, and also one so aptly appropriate for graduation. To be able to share that moment with Chris was incredibly special, even though it was the largest audience either of us had sung to before. I think both of our voices were just a bit wobbly when we first started the song, staring out at the very full gym of attendees, including our 120 or so classmates and their families.

My Grandma Jo had never heard me sing before that day. I don’t know that it ever really hit me until just now. There was so much going on: getting ready for the graduation event, and also getting ready to perform during graduation. Plus, we hosted a joint graduation party at Greenwood Park and there was plenty to do to arrange the food, drinks, and extras for that. Mom and Dad could throw a great party. It’s all a big blur. A frenzy of activity leading up to an event of such proportion that it was difficult to take it all in and create solid memories. The busiest times of my life are this way I’ve noticed.

It meant so much to me that my Grandma Jo came to graduation, and in retrospect I fear that I didn’t spend nearly enough time with her or let her know how much it meant. I hope she knew, despite me. I feel fairly certain that she understood how fleeting her time was, but she didn’t let on. Not to me, anyway. It is possible that my preoccupation with my own life and goings-on blinded me to that truth. Even though it was a whirlwind weekend, seeing my mother embrace my Grandma Jo, both of them crying tears of joy, is my most precious and vivid memory of my Grandma Jo.