On Wednesday, September 18th, I lost my last (and closest) living grandparent. Her name was Sara, but to most of us, and certainly to me, she was Geah. Geah was a name given to her by one of her first grandchildren, Liz. Liz struggled pronouncing "grandma"; it kept coming out "Geah" instead, and the name stuck.
Geah's phone number was always saved in my list of favorites, and I remember calling her weekly while in college because she just wanted to hear my voice and know I was ok. She loved me from afar when she had to, and she loved me up close whenever she could.
I'd often go to her house after school as a kid, where she'd treat my sister and me to delicious baked cookies and cakes, always letting us lick the spoon. She was also unafraid to discipline us when we needed it. I'm so thankful for the role she played in raising me, and for the powerful, loving influence she's had on our family.
As I got a little older and started diving, she became one of my strongest cheerleaders. She traveled to Princeton for my most important meets, and I always dove better with her in the stands. I was deeply humbled to be approached by so many strangers at her funeral asking "are you the diver? Your grandmother told me all about you." Her love for her family overflowed into her friendships with others, and I've been overwhelmed the past few days thinking about how lucky I was to be her grandson.
My wife KP and I gave Geah her first great granddaughter, Arden Elodie Vines, born August 19th, 2019. As KP's due date neared, Geah's health declined, and when I visited her at home, her nurses had heard all about the baby girl on the way. Just like the strangers wondering if I was the diver, here again were strangers anticipating the birth of our baby girl, grateful recipients of Geah's overflowing excitement for what lay ahead, even as her time on earth came to a close. We're so thankful she had the chance to meet Arden a couple of times, and we are comforted in knowing that part of Geah lives on in Arden too.
Saying goodbye is bittersweet. It's sad to think about all the things we won't be able to share together this side of the grave, but I'm relieved to know that she is at peace now, free from the pain and suffering she bravely endured in her final years. I'm also so thankful for all the memories we shared, stories I'll cherish for the rest of my life.
Goodbye, Geah. Thank you for loving me so well my whole life, for serving as the backbone of our family, and for facing the end of your 85 laps around the sun with courage and dignity. I'll love you always.
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