My grandmother passed away today.  It’s the first grandparent that has died while I’ve been alive.  It was quite a good streak and I know it’s gone for good.  That’s how life goes.

To be honest, I’m kind of happy that it happened.  She was miserable.  She used all of her energy to let you know that she hated living in her nursing home.  It’s not that the nursing home didn’t treat her well, but she just wasn’t the kind of person who was content in such a situation.

As I travel up to Rochester, I know I will remember her not from the conversation I had this week on the phone or from the visit during the summer.  I will always remember her from a year ago and six years ago and fifteen years ago — the woman that I had conversations with and who could walk and was so smart.

The thing is, I know that I already said goodbye.  I’m not a super sentimental person who is caught up in such things, but I’m glad that I had that opportunity.