Grandma’s hands

As Grandma lays sleeping, I hold her hand. Her hands helped shape me into the person I am today. My mom worked until I was 2, and grandma was my babysitter. Her hands held me, fed me, bathed me, diapered me….those hands only spanked me one time. She said that I cried and cried & kept saying, ‘my mamaw panked me – my mamaw panked me!’ She said it broke her heart and she cried worse than me. Those hands made delicious foods and desserts. Whenever my parents, sis & I showed up to visit, she always had three cakes made – coconut cake for me, peanut butter cake, & Hershey bar icing cake. She was very well-known for her cakes with her family, friends & church. The pastor & his family always received their favorite cake at birthdays and holidays. Those hands set the tradition of making 20+ kinds of goodies at Christmas time – date cookies, fudge, orange slice cake, Russian teacakes, chocolate chip cookies, date cookies, apricot kolachkis, and more. Those hands gave me some of the best back scratches I’ve ever had….no one could scratch my back like her. Her hands supported me many times – the first time I ever played the piano in church she was there beside me….I was too nervous to sit there by myself so she said she would sit there with me. Those hands cleaned her house…no dust particle stood a chance in her house!!! Those hands wrote many letters & note & cards to people she loved. Now, her hands stay closed most of the time & she’s lost the ability to use them as she once did. However, it’s okay….they’ve worked hard for 84 years…they deserve a rest. They are beautiful hands & I cherish them!