Lessons I’ve Learned from Grammy

  This blog is going to be a little different. But, hang in there with me. One thing that I’ve found to be super helpful as I set goals, both personally and professionally, is to find a mentor or coach to help me, guide me, and provide me with the accountability and motivation to achieve my goals. So today, I’m going to tell you about an OG mentor of mine…my Grammy. Today is Grammy’s 95th birthday and she looks amazing! Don’t worry, she’s not afraid to tell you that either. Recently, she asked the woman doing her make up at my sisters wedding if it was “difficult to work on someone her age.” The MUA chuckled and then gasped with astonishment when she learned Grammy’s age. However, Grammy’s beauty goes far deeper than her appearance.  I’m lucky enough to have a lot of strong, compassionate, elegant women in my family that have served as amazing role models for me throughout my life, many of whom have also learned from my Gram. So, what better way to celebrate the matriarch of the Brissette family than to dedicate this blog to her! Now, I’m going to say this right off the bat…I can only hope that I have inherited this ladies genes. Not only is she 95, she’s still as vibrant as ever…although her filter on sharing her opinions may have come down a bit (hey, the truth hurts sometimes).  So, without further adieu…

Five  Lessons I’ve Learned From Grammy:

1. Appreciate Beauty and Enjoy Life: Perhaps it was during our early days of eating Cream of Wheat and watching “Bob the Paint Guy” together…or maybe it was those times Grammy would sing “I love you, a bushel and peck” to me while we went on a walk around town. In one way or another, Grammy taught me to find beauty in this world. Whether that was through song, art, literature or simply in nature…finding beauty and joy in life has always been one of Grammy’s most admirable qualities. Though she may not be able to cut a rug the way she used to, I still spotted her bopping he head and tapping her feet at our wedding….at like 10:00 PM.  I mean, not too shabby for a 94-year old. Never one to miss a party, family dinner, or lunch date at Perkins with her friends…Gram always finds a way to enjoy the people and places around her.
2. Don’t apologize for being a confident, intelligent woman:  As a child, grammy would always entertain me with her stories of winning the class spelling bee or beating out every boy in her grade to gain the honors of “first in her class.” We watched movies and television shows, like Bed Knobs and Broomsticks and Anne of Green Gables, that portrayed strong, confident women as  main characters and leaders. Whether she knew it or not, she instilled a sense of pride in intellectual achievements, not settling for the status quo, and a drive to consistently work on improving myself. Not to mention the fact that, for Grammy, modesty is over-rated.
3. Never stop learning: Now, this also came with and edge of competitiveness.. From our battles to see who could get to the crossword puzzle first (I always won) to the time 80-something year old Grammy tried to pull one over on me in a game of Scattergories (don’t worry, I totally called her out), one can say that intellectual stimulation became an arena of competition for Grammy and I. In all seriousness though, my Gram is one of the most intelligent ladies I know. And, what’s even more amazing, she has never lost that thirst to learn. While her writing may not be what it used to, making it difficult to perform her crossword puzzles every morning, she still continues to ask questions, seek knowledge, and grow. She wants to “know what’s happening in this world.” For example, when she sees something that bothers her on the news (the Opioid Crisis is her latest concern), she makes sure to call my dad (even when he’s in Baltimore visiting me) to discuss and ask questions. It frustrates her that she doesn’t know how to work “apps” that Channel 5 keeps telling her that she needs to have. Don’t worry Gram….#same.
4. The secret to fantastic skin = Dove Soap. Now, I may beg to differ with Gram on this one, although she does have amazing skin that literally glows, even at 95. But it’s the message behind her answer to why she has amazing skin, that leaves me with something to think about. Sometimes, the answers exist in simplicity. We make things so overcomplicated…mountains out of molehills. We go through so many procedures, products, and plans to try and improve ourselves. If we took a step back to breathe, get back to basics, and simplify things just a little….we may find our answers.
5. Always keep your faith: If you ever have the opportunity to meet my Gram, you would note her positive, glass-half full attitude. One would assume that nothing terrible could have ever happened to her.  But in reality, she has dealt with some of the most difficult situations…situations that most of us can only hope we will never  have to face. While I won’t get into the details because it affects other people in my family that haven’t given me the “ok” to share, it’s safe to say that Grammy has been presented with unforeseen tragedies more than once in her life. Around the time of one of these tragedies, while I was still trying to figure out how to cope, I walked in on my Grammy saying her rosary. She was praying to God, not understanding why this would happen, but knowing that she’d be able to find a sense of solace in her faith. Her faith in something greater than herself, guiding her through the ups and downs of life, has molded her into the woman she is today. Now, I’m not saying you have to believe in God. Believe in whomever and whatever you’d like” God, Buddha, Jehovah, Mother Nature, Love..just believe in something. Because times will get tough, confusing, and will challenge your ability to have faith. In those times of challenge and tragedy, it’s easy to give up. By looking deeper and channeling your faith, you will find the innate capability persevere and overcome. 

There are SO many more lessons I’ve learned from my Grammy, but it would take a book for me to share them all. I’m sure that my other family members could also add to this list, but I say, “hey…why not hear straight from Grammy?” Stay tuned for my blog later next month on Grammy’s “Top Tips for Living your Best Life”: Advice from my 95-years young Grammy 🙂

Happy birthday Grammy! If dad shows this to you, I hope this day is every bit as wonderful as you are. Cheers to another fantastic, memorable year 🙂 To the moon and back

~Christina