You might be thinking, okay, what does a 20 year old have in common with a 75 year old? And while there’s so many things I can name or try to encompass in this, I will do my best in sharing just some of my most favorite things about the wonderful woman that is Grammy.

Since the day I was born, my grammy and I have had an inseparable bond. She has had all the guidance and love of a parent, mixed with the joys of an everlasting friendship. Every dance recital, every game, every violin concert, every everything, Grammy wanted to be there for her grandkids. In every stage of my life, she has watched me grow and evolve into the young woman I am today, and I firmly believe she has contributed to who I am as a person.

For starters, she has an incredible sense of adventure. When I was little she would bring me back baby dolls from whichever far away land she traveled to. Whether it be a little blonde-haired girl with braids and a lederhosen from Germany, or a porcelain doll clothed in red velvet from Italy, I had ‘babies’ from all over the world that lead me to question what other places and people were out there. As I got older, she would start pulling out maps and atlases to pin point where it was she had stayed in these foreign lands and which places served the best local food. Grammy would say there is so much world to see outside of our little nook, and always encouraged me to go explore. When presented the opportunity, she insisted I took the chance to attend a study abroad trip to Central Europe with the school, and I am more than thrilled to have gone. When I came back from the study abroad, I could not wait to show her all the pictures, videos, and experiences I had. Her best bit of travel advice was to get a little piece of artwork from wherever it is you’re going. She was overjoyed when I brought her back a watercolor painting of the Wawel Castle in Krakow. I felt like her, being able to share my worldly experiences.

Our topics of conversation did not always consist of faraway people and places, but sometimes simple things like how the Patriots are playing this year. (And she loves her Tom Brady, that’s for sure!) Sometimes it will just be a simple text once or twice a week to let me know she is thinking of me. And yes she does use emojis! Grammy is so “hip”.

Not to mention, we have the same taste in men. When she met my other half, she was beside herself. Not only does he have the same build and exterior my grandfather did, but to also be a fireman? Well she was just smitten. “I could just eat him up!” is what she tells me. Any time I tell her of the silly things he says or does, she arches up her head to the heavens proclaiming, “Really funny, Bill!” and then says to me, “Oh honey, you’re marrying your grandfather”.

We have always shared a common love for good food too. All I have to say to get her out of the house is “You up for some Dairy Queen, Grammy?” and she is already in the car, buckled up. And lest we forget her infamous “Grammy Cookies”. Holy moly, you haven’t had cookies like hers before. She wouldn’t want me to reveal too much, but I will say this: brownie mix. Oh yeah.

As corny as it sounds, I adore the times where we break out Nana’s (her mother’s) old tea cup collection and have afternoon tea. I would ask her if she wanted Earl Grey and she would come back with, “If it’s good enough for the Queen, it’s good enough for me!” So we would put the kettle on the stove and wait for the whistle. The best part about having tea was not the tea itself, but the conversation that was bound to ensue. Sipping the warm herbs, overlooking the Sound from her picture window, and talking about anything and everything is my ultimate therapy.

She always knows just what to say. If i’m having a problem with anything her advice is always crystal clear, bringing about the ability to carry me back down to earth. I only hope to have as much wisdom as she does when I get to be older. I think that’s the greatest part about being so close with Grammy, is getting that fresh perspective on life and love and the rest of it all. She has a way of shining a whole new light on a situation and I know that regardless of the decision(s) I choose to make, she will be supportive of them because she loves me.When the world gets real tough and things don’t make sense, I know I can always retreat back to that little one story house my grampy built for her, and find comfort in the fact that she won’t judge or analyze whatever it is I’m going through, but instead be a source of comfort and consistency.

Grammy is a strong woman. In her time it was expected that you stay home, raise your children, and tend to the orders of the home. But for Grammy she knew she was capable of more. All while raising four kids, she went back to college to finish her degree and get herself a job with the town, earning her own money and getting herself to and fro. I love that. For a young woman of that time to have such drive and motivation to exceed what others had done is so awesome. And that’s what I try to model myself after, today. What people fail to realize is that our grandparents were once our age. They too were once young, agile, and hungry for what the world has to offer! That person is still inside there, regardless of how they appear now.

My heart aches for people that don’t have grandparents. They are really missing out on a lifetime of stories and memories to be told and the love between generations.Whether it be our shared love for dance, taking walks, teaching me new things like sudoku, or just doing our nails, I cherish all the time I get to have with my grammy. What greater friend is there, really?

It's not the number of years of your life, but the amount of life in your years.