Life Updates.
Hello all!
I haven’t been here in a while, again. But I wanted to ask for some “advice”.
You see… My grandmother on mom’s side, Anita, got diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago. She has been living with cancer ever since. In the beginning, she could fight it and her body could too. But now they found dents in her spine due to the chemo and cancer cells. She said earlier this year that this year’s Christmas will be her last.
Of course, we’re all sad to see her go, but she’s going on her own terms. She’s going when she wants to.
My parents, together with my uncle and aunt are going out for dinner on the 6th of December to celebrate Anita’s birthday with her. I’m not going because apparently the kids weren’t invited. Sad, and rude, I know. But I’m going out with my brother and my cousin to go drink and eat ramen. So… it’s all good!
I wanted to write my grandmother a story and a letter which I may give her on Christmas. I want to incorporate the story of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal who turned bread into roses. My grandmother, Anita, once saw a gorgeous artwork in Azulejos of it and incorporated a smaller version of it inside her house in Portugal. It’s been in bedded into the wall ever since. The story is my favorite and I bugged her to tell me the story every time, to the point she once told me: “how many times do you want me to tell you? You already know the story.”
She wasn’t wrong.
But I want to incorporate that story, her strength with surviving WW2 and her love for classical music.
I want to give her a feast in the story, the walls of the house or mansion, lined with every country she’s ever been to. I don’t want it too depressing, but I can’t shake the idea of Death greeting her kindly and escorting her to the Afterlife. Like what happened in the story of the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone and Invisibility Cloak in Harry Potter. (Which is also a story I love)
I want to ask her what she loves, what her passion is. But all I know is that she went to Aqua Gym, studied Portuguese and Spanish and constantly listened to Classical music on her car’s radio.
She even had a native Maori CD (I believe) or a different CD of an indigenous group in her car that I always wanted to listen to while driving from my house or school to hers.
I remember her making noodles out of a can from a local store, Aldi or Lidl, every Wednesday when we were at her house. Or spicy Asian soup out of a can. She even taught me and my brother to first eat all the bacon with slices of bread, only to put a slice in the bacon grease in the pan and add sugar on top once the slice was soaked in bacon grease.
I remember her defending us to her husband when we didn’t like the food and grandpa was like: “finish your plate.” For her to scold him and telling him to finish his.
I know she’s a strong woman. Always has been. She used to spend hours in the kitchen baking and cooking Christmas dinner from scratch! My parents once told her they had a Christmas dinner in this order: Appetizers (oven snacks), soup, appetizer one, appetizer 2, main course, dessert. All for them to start at lunchtime, only to eat dinner in the evening. Basically having just finished a Christmas meal. I’m trying not to cry while writing this, because I’m getting emotional. But, I love my grandmother.
My coping mechanism is to distance myself when I know someone is dying. Which upsets the person, of course, but it allows me to lessen the emotional blow for me.
My point is.
If you had a granddaughter that you’re not as close with as the others because you didn’t see them all that much, would you smile and be happy when you received a letter and short story from said granddaughter?
I want to share the short story with you guys, because I need it to be the best short story ever! Well, I need it to be polished and not a first draft.
Do you mind giving me feedback on the short story? I still need to plan it. But, I wanted to run this by you guys to see if you’re comfortable doing it?
Tiffani 
Moving during the holiday’s? Ouf! I feel for you! Hope everything goes smoothly with the move! As someone with an Fine Art Degree ending up in Finance I can attest to the student loans and attached regret. lol It was a great experience, made some connections but it did not further my career as I took a different path after. That said, if you are seeking to teach or enter the publishing industry I see the merit of it. Beyond that if you wish to become a published author you already got the juice! <3
Knightly Updates 
