Saturday, August 15, 2009

Today was a Grandma Jackie day. Today I met 4 of the 12 women in G. Jackie's Chicago book club. OMG, they were still vibrant, intellectual, amazingly strong, caring women. You have no idea what G. Jackie gave up to follow Hirsh to Milwaukee and give you a life. Apparently G. Jackie couldn't handle the non-intellectual diapering, feeding, and sleeping of A. Mardee & called her friend Elaine saying she was dying a slow intellectual death. Jackie suggested a book club and Elaine agreed. Elaine is this 6 foot Amazon, smart, strong, in control, but she was not a match for your G. Jackie. G. Jackie was in charge and everyone followed her. They each chose 5 friends, 12 in all, but only 4 are left. These 4 give an indication what your G. Jackie was and what she left for you to exist. These are amazingly still strong and vibrant women who tell me without your G. Jackie their life would have been so very different - so less of an impact. Pls know how lucky you are to be part of G. Jackie, you each have part of the intellectual power she had, the impact she had on so many people, the love and caring that are yours 'cause she loved you unconditionally, but how amazingly wonderful she was and what she gave up for you 'cause she loved you unconditionally and totally. And you all deserve it 'cause you all strive to be so much. G. Jackie would be so proud of you and who you are. I wish you could have met these women to understand what an amazingly wonderful person your grandma was. She chose to be with you - without any comment about what she was missing being with these amazing friends - because that's where she wanted to be. She loved all of you so amazingly much. You are so lucky to have known her.