My wonderful, beautiful, and complicated grandmother has died. I'm not ready to talk about the details, yet. Of course I have some regrets, but I was conscious of the decisions I was making. If she knew all of the facts, she would understand. And I know she forgives me. This woman raised me from a tiny baby. She's the reason I wanted to become a momma so very badly. She taught me how to choose kindness in the face of adversity. She was the greatest woman I've ever known. I will be painting her portrait of course.
I love you, Grandma. I miss you. You are a part of me, you live on in me. Thank you for my life. Thank you for being the one who never abandoned me. The *one* person who never did. I love you.

