During the first week of December, I received an email from an 18-year-old young woman who asked my help in finding her a poem for her grandmother’s funeral. Kirsty had a close relationship with her grandmother who had died unexpectedly. She didn’t have a chance to say goodbye. Kirsty searched for just the right poem, but was unable to find it.

I wrote back to Kirsty and told her I would try to help her either by writing a poem or finding one with the thoughts she had included with her email. It is difficult to write such a poem, not knowing the grandmother or granddaughter and their relationship together. In the meantime, my advice to this lovely, young woman was to try to write one from her heart or take a poem and personalize it. Whatever she wrote would be the perfect poem because it was from her.

I combined two poems and added a beginning and ending:

Nana, I didn’t get a chance
To tell you my goodbye.
God took you very suddenly
Sadly, I don’t know why.

I thought of you with love today,
But that is nothing new.
I thought about you yesterday,
And days before that too.

I think of you in silence,
I often speak your name.
All I have are memories,
And your picture in a frame.

Your memory is my keepsake,
With which I’ll never part.
God has you in his keeping,
I have you in my heart.

{Wings of the Angels
By Tim Chambers}

A gentle wind blew across the land
Reaching out to take a hand
For on the winds the angels came
Calling out a mother’s name.

Left behind, her children’s tears
Loving memories of the years
Of joy and love, a life well spent
And now to God a mother’s sent.

On angel’s wings, a heavenly flight
The journey home, towards the light.
To those who weep, a life is gone,
But in God’s love, ’tis but the dawn.

{end}

Spread your ever deserving wings,
Nana, angel above.
Please look down and watch over me,
Guide with eternal love.
Until we meet at Heaven’s door,
I’ll miss you ever more.

Kirsty chose the poem, “I’m Free” and personalized it for her Nan:

Don’t grieve for Nan, for now she’s free
Nan’s following the path God has laid you see.
She took His hand when she heard him call
Nan turned her back and left it all.
She could not stay another day
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
Nan found that peace at the close of day.
If her parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things Nan too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
Nan wishes you the sunshine of tomorrow.
Her life’s been full, she savoured much
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch.
Perhaps Nan’s time seemed all too brief
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and peace to thee
God gave Nan wings and let her fly free.
GOD BLESS, KIRSTY XX

The day before the funeral, Kirsty wrote to me:
Just wanted to say thank you again. the funeral is tomorrow. It’s going to be hard but I know I need to be brave for her. This poem is my way to say goodbye.

Kirsty wrote to me after the funeral:
I did it and I’m glad I did. It’s been a very emotional day, but at the same time a good day if that makes sense. Chatted, laughed and cried - considering the situation the day went really well.

My reply to Kirsty was:
I’m so glad you feel that way. It is good. Funerals are a celebration
of life. Today you honored your Nan. I’m sure she is looking down on
you with great pride.

You’re welcome, but you are the one who followed through with what you
felt was important. It is a sign of maturity. If you ever need to reach out
to someone, I’m here.
Nana

Kirsty gave me permission to share this with you in hopes that it may help you. I know this Christmas must have been difficult for her, as it was with the passing of our Mom-Mom this year. For all my visitors searching for just the right poems for the special ones in your lives that are now with you in spirit, my heart is with you this holiday season.

This is a tribute to all the Grandmas who have
been fearless and learned to use the Computer….

The computer swallowed grandma.
Yes, honestly its true!
She pressed ‘control’ and ‘enter’
And disappeared from view.

It devoured her completely,
The thought just makes me squirm.
She must have caught a virus
Or been eaten by a worm.

I’ve searched through the recycle bin
And files of every kind;
I’ve even used the Internet,
But nothing did I find.

In desperation, I asked Jeeves
My searches to refine.
The reply from him was negative,
Not a thing was found ‘online.’

So, if inside your ‘Inbox,’
My Grandma you should see,
Please ‘Copy,”Scan’ and ‘Paste’ her
And send her back to me.

~ Author Unknown ~

Grandmother Hugs and Grandmother Kisses

Grandmother hugs and Grandmother kisses,
Hot oven cookies and holiday wishes,
Attics with treasures of children grown old,
Stories of magic and princes so bold,
Oceans of patience and rainbows of love,
A bright ray of sunshine sent from above,
You stirred my childhood with rich, golden days,
Touching my life in so many ways.
When shadows are dark,
I reach through the night,
The love of a Grandmother shines like a light.

…Author Unknown

While thinking back on my mother-in-law’s funeral and how it affected our children and grandchildren, I began wondering what parting message I would want to leave for those grieving my death. Our daughter Kari wrote a lovely funeral poem that I have shared with my visitors. My brother-in-law has it hanging on the living room wall, in a small way to keep Mom Mom near. As I sat here at the computer tonight, the following poem came to mind. I want my children and grandchildren to know that I am always with them in spirit, everywhere they go for we are all part of nature. I can’t imagine a nicer way to stay with those we leave behind.

Nana Can’t Be With You

Nana can’t be with you, but remember this…

When you are lonely, curl up your fingers
Feel my hand in yours…

When you are happy, look to the stars
See my shining eyes…

When you are sad, sit in the sun
Feel the warmth of my love…

When you need me, walk in the garden
See me everywhere…

Know that I am with you, always

~ Nana’s Corner ~

Sometimes we think we always have tomorrow to say thank you or I love you to our grandparents, parents, children, friends…. But, eventually, we may run out of tomorrows. This has happened to me three times.

I always thought there would be tomorrow. I put off what I wanted to say, but I never got the chance with three people very dear to me. So, now I say “I love you” everyday and I take the time to wave goodbye from the door…or when I think of someone close to my heart, I pick up the phone even if it is to just say “Hi, I was thinking of you.” 

(more…)

Grandchild,
If apples were pears and peaches were plums
and the rose had a different name,
If tigers were bears and fingers were thumbs,
Nana would love you just the same.

~ Anonymous ~