As I was driving through a neighborhood today, I passed a home with an elderly woman out tending to her chores.  I only caught a brief look into this woman’s day, but it has stuck with me all afternoon, reminding me of memories I haven’t thought about for a long time.  This woman was out in her summer housecoat with her apron, white socks, and black shoes as her attire.  Her frail frame indicated her age was possibly in her 90′s.

This snapshot stirred up memories of my own great-grandmother, who also dressed in her summer housecoat dress when it was hot outside.  She also wore dark shoes with white socks, not caring that they weren’t fashionable, because they were practical and suited her simple lifestyle.  I remember my great-grandmother’s simple way of life- to get up each day doing the necessary chores to sustain life and enjoying family in between.  She wasn’t a fancy person, her home even reflected her simplicity of life, a few special pieces here and there, but nothing to distract from what really mattered.  She didn’t even speak English, just Finnish, although my mother and aunts think she could have if she wanted to… she just chose not to. She smiled often and always slipped us kids some pink chalky candy. She rarely even left her home, living on a quiet farm in the middle of Minnesota, she let an honest life that is very rare to come across these days.

My great-grandmother has been gone for more than 30 years, but once in a while something from this life, stirs a memory from her life.  Thanks Grama for being an example on how to live a life that is not concerned with the worldliness of today’s society.  To just enjoy each day for it’s beautiful simplicity.