Today we celebrated the life of this beautiful woman, Virginia “Ginny” Mounts, also known as my grandmother. The battle with her failing health has seemed like forever, yet it’s also seemed to happen so quickly. She has been in the hospital since the week before Thanksgiving, and sadly passed while still in the hospital. However, her spirit never failed. She passed the night before New Years Eve, and I have to say I have never been so empty feeling and thankful at the same time. I didn’t want her to suffer anymore, no one did. But I miss her. I miss her smile, she was truly sunshine. I miss her cooking. I miss her sassiness. I miss her hugs, and her touch. She had a healing power about her. A few memories I will always hold dear:
- She and my grandpa would stay with us when my parents were out of town - I’d cry for my momma, and she’d gently scratch my back giving me the most comfort.
- Her collection of dolls. I was in awe and wanted them all. She was always so excited and eager to play dress up with me.
- Her writing. She wrote in her journal all day everyday, and I hope soon I am able to read her heart through those writings.
- Her smell. She always smelled of sweet perfume, I never wanted to stop hugging her.
- Our talk about Cali (happened after this picture was snapped back in August when I first got home from California)
- The dearest of them: I got to tell her a few days before she went into a coma and passed…that I was engaged. She could not speak, but she smiled so brightly and held my hand tight for what seemed like forever.
I miss her. We saw her lying in a casket a few days ago for a family viewing, and it looked nothing like her. Her spirit is no longer in her body, and that brings me comfort. I can only imagine the beauty she is seeing right now. Though, it shattered my heart in seeing my grandpa ache, moan, and cry for her as we tried to hold him up. That man has always been a very strong figure in my eyes, and for the first time I saw his weakness. They were married for 68 years. So beautiful. I have always desired a man like my grandpa. His commitment, patience, admiration, joy, and love for her has humbled me, especially now. Death is hard. It really really hurts for us who can’t hear her voice anymore or joke with her about grandpa’s poor memory. She’s gone. But I still feel her here with me. She not a doubt professed her love for our Lord and showed it daily. I am so grateful to have been inspired by such a beautiful woman for 23 years, and I pray that I will show the amount of compassion she has shown to everyone around her to everyone around me. A little of her sassiness would be great too :)
