My Grandma Norlin was a hoot! She was extremely independent and lived her life quietly and with grace. She was not a woman of many words; you’d be in the middle of a conversation with her on the phone and if her little egg timer had finished sending the sand into the second chamber, she’d interrupt you and say, “well, ok, bye then!” And hang up. It wasn’t that she was being rude. She was just finished talking and ready to move on to the next thing.
Even as I write that, a big old smile comes across my face and I find myself laughing. Not just a little chuckle, mind you, but a big old cackle! Because that’s the way my grandma laughed, and my mom and both my sisters. We all inherited Grandma’s ability to laugh so uncontrollably that we can’t finish the end of a joke! To this day, no one in our family has any idea what the outcome of some walnut joke my mother has tried to tell for 20 years is!
I believe that laughter is a wonderful gift God gave us. It heals us when we’re hurting; it gives our lungs a good aerobic workout and helps us sleep better at night. It brings people together and gives us a common bond. God created joy and laughter is the expression of it.
Grandma rarely talked about her past. We aren’t really sure why. It wasn’t like she had a horrible upbringing. She was born in a sod house and grew up on a farm. She was loved and allowed to run barefoot and climb trees. One story I do know is about the time a big sow pig cornered her and left her stranded on the back end of a pick up truck until help came. It wasn’t that she was necessarily afraid, she just knew you don’t mess with a mama pig and you wait for someone bigger to get you out of there.
I think Grandma was living out a philosophy that grounded all her decisions, life direction and the way she interacted with this world. Grandma knew how to live in the moment. She understood how fleeting life could be. She lost my grandpa when I was just 6 months old to a massive heart attack. She knew that life changes. She was a product of the Depression and used to save all her bread bags to use for other things. She never wasted food and could clean any spot off of any item so you had no excuse to throw it out and get a new one, Grandma made it just like new!
Grandma wasn’t fancy or overly affectionate. She was never the center of attention and she seemed to like it that way. Grandma was happy with her lot in life. She worked at the cannery in Long Beach and often she and her house smelled like tuna. But she was able to retire at 50 and lived a comfortable and satisfying life until God called her home when she was almost 90.
Even though it may not have been her goal or plan, subconsciously, Grandma understood the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life – this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past.
Grandma traveled a lot. She had a little white VW Beetle that she drove across country multiple times. When each of us grandkids turned 12, we got to tag along with Grandma on one of her road trips. Taking different paths, we generally ended up in North Dakota where she still had family.
I can remember during my 12 year old trip with her, one of the only times I ever saw my grandma angry. We were in St George, Utah and I was a typical California kid who thought I wanted to be a hippie. I had sunglasses, a headband and leather choker and fringed bag. We walked into a local cafe for lunch and the owner actually asked us to leave. When my shocked grandmother asked why, he said “We don’t allow hippies in here!” Well, Grandma went ballistic and told the owner, in so many words, that we wouldn’t want to eat there any way! I was so shocked at 1) the fact that someone thought I was a hippie and 2) my grandma was apparently fearless and willing to stand up to anyone who messed with her family! I never doubted again how much my grandma loved me!
I lost count of the many cruises she went on, the bus trips to Laughlin and Las Vegas and all the family vacations she came on with our little family of 5. Grandma didn’t sit still very often, except when she was older and there were great grandchildren to watch. She would always be sitting near the kids, just kind of soaking up their youth and joy for life. She loved to cook and made the most amazing egg noodles and divinity fudge. Basically, Grandma was so busy enjoying life that there was no time to brood over the past.
She used to say, “Don’t be like the woman who went to the opera with her hair in curlers because she was going out afterwards.” In other words, be present wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Don’t do something halfway or miss out completely because you’re waiting for something else.
Thinking about Grandma reminds me to live in the moment. I want to enjoy all that God has given me today, right now. After all, we aren’t promised tomorrow or even the next minute. Our best option for our best life is to live in the moment! Thank you, Grandma, for your example!
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Beautiful and uplifting!
Thank you!