Grandmothers Are Special

by Jane Curtis
(Hawkins, Texas)

I retired from teaching children with special needs but once in a while someone asks for my help. This is about one such case.

A little girl had suddenly stopped talking.  Months had gone by and she had not uttered a word.  She had been in the car when her grandmother, sitting right beside her, patted her on the hand, kissed her cheek and slumped over in the seat and died.  The little girl was very close to her grandmother.  I remember what that was like.  My grandmother had been my best friend.  I knew exactly the trauma that was going on inside this little angel.

I came into the room and found her just as her mother said she would be.  She was sitting in her grandmother's chair looking out the window.  I said a little prayer for guidance then approached her.  I took her hand and guided her over to a table. I gave her colored pencils and paper.

She picked them up without a word and started drawing. While she was drawing I told her stories about my life with my grandmother. She has drawn several pictures of her and her grandmother like stick figures doing different things.  The girl waved her mom over, handed her a drawing and signaled her mom that they were for me.

I talk to her about my grandmother living within me even when I could not see her physically.  The expressionless face on this child started giving way to a quiet sweetness.  Eventually, she laid down to take a nap. I sensed she had finally accepted the fact that her grandmother lives in her heart. We all went into the other room.

We were awakened by the sweet sound of her singing a song her grandmother taught her.  The little girl talks up a storm now.  I am so glad God gave me what I needed to help her.

What I did not know is that the little girl's mother had been so resentful over losing her mother that she had turned away from God.  She had not said anything to anyone but the anger was there.  I sensed it when I was there.  I told her not to worry.  God had not turned away from her and would be there when she was ready. I reminded her that God does not save us from the lion's den but delivers us out of it.

I was able to tell her about losing my mother and my best friend.  It too was sudden.  I told her to express gratitude for the fact that she was close to her mother, her little girl got to know her, and she went without suffering.  I said you were protected from having to endure a long drawn out pain of having to watch her die.  

I also explain that the word death comes from a Hebrew word meaning change.  It has nothing to do with the end of anything but the beginning of a new perspective.  I did not tell her how many times I have died in this lifetime.  She is not ready.  I told her to allow herself to grieve.  She thanked me for helping her.  I thanked God for showing me the way.
 
Just wanted to give you a follow up.  The little girl who had not spoken for so long got up and delivered a speech to her class entitled, "My Grandmother."

 Someone asked me this morning if I believe in God.  I answered, "I believe in how he answers prayers."  I believe in the wind that I cannot see because I see and feel the effects of it. I believe in the results of believing in God. My grandmother taught me that.

I found chicken on sale again today.  Anytime God puts chicken leg quarters on sale... someone is going to need a crock pot full of something.  I've fed so many people this month.  It is like the loaves and the fishes.  I always have enough and it has never made me go over my budget.  I just love the way God's abundance works.

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