A Christmas Wish

Hi, my names Shyllo.

This story is about a person who meant the world to me and held us all together.

There was a time in my life that I felt a lot of love from my family growing up, I remember always waking up to the smell of coffee, my grandma Nellie’s home made biscuits with sausage gravy, and scrambled eggs. And being greated with the biggest, warmest hugs.

Going for holliday vacations at grandmas house was always one of my most favorite things to do. My Gran would always have a chair by the stove having us fetch the items she needed to cook with so she could teach us how to cook, I loved that she let me add the ingredients and stir things around so I learnt to do it myself.

Every Christmas after that I was in charge of cooking breakfast for our family, it’s still our family tradition to this day. My family would also spend most of the week leading up to Christmas baking all different kinds of cookies, pies, and my Grans famous Pumpkin bread, that I loved with cream cheese. Their was a time in my life I’d wished that I could have wrote all her recipes down, so I could one day enjoy them with my own family when it came time for them to learn.

Gran taught us so many valuable lesson, she always made time for us and there were always times that I wish that I could have done the same more for her. I always thought that I’d have more time to be with her, but as time flew by I noticed her getting more frail and it broke my heart because I knew that we might not have many more hollidays with her.

The next Christmas, I had called all my family and friends of our Grans that she was close to. I invited them over to join us this year so they could all enjoy spending time with all of us together, I decided to do this because my Aunt and Uncle sat me down one day and told me why my Gran looked so frail. It was because she had breast cancer, she had surgery and they had thought it was all cleared up. But it wasn’t, it came back and spread to her lympnodes. I knew then, that to much time had already slipped through my fingers. Even though our family had it’s differences we all came together for her.

To see her eyes light up on her face with the biggest smile, and the sounds of her laughter radiating throughout the room was one of the best memories that I hold close to my heart. After everyone went home my Gran asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I told her I already got my present. I wanted you to have one big Christmas with everyone so we both could enjoy it together. But mostly my time with you was the greatest gift of all.

The last summer vacation we spent with her to celebrate my birthday, I knew her time was near. I saw and felt how much she loved me as I laid next to her holding her hand. I wish I could have staid there longer, but I knew I had to go back with my family.

I got a call the next morning, my Gran had passed away.

The one thing that I wish I had was one more hug, kiss, and to say I love you.

In Memory of Onelia M. Grosenbac

The one who loved me.