Life By The Knot

"You'll appreciate this when you are older." 

I don't know about you guys but my parents use to say that to me all the time. One thing I never thought would happen though was my appreciation for a person growing with age. This weekend I spent time in Haysville visiting my 78 year old grandma. When I was younger we lived by her and saw her more often but in 3rd grade when we moved away and closer to my dads parents my connection with her faded and became a once or twice a year type of thing. So I became closer to my dads parents, as crazy as they are and my appreciation for my grandma was less. She was a bit more distant, and when we went to visit, she spent more time talking to my mom than us. What I never realized was how much I would be able to relate to her down the road.
From Saturday till Sunday I got to talk to her, have her teach me how to crochet (my mom and grandma think that all sewing aspects are important for girls to know, there for I can quilt and cross stitch like no bodies business), and just laugh with her. We talked about the first year of school, about boyfriends and for the first time she seemed actually interested in my life. She even laughed when I made a humping joke at lunch (it was situational don't judge). By opening up these communication lines I learned so much about her. I knew my grandma had been married 3 times (divorced once, widowed twice) I knew she has had boyfriends since then, what I never knew was that the women who taught her how to crochet was a black lady who would tell on her every time she said "crap", or that she'd been doing yoga (we have about the same balance) or even the reason why she wont rearrange her furniture (my grandpa Lloyd made it and its the only way it fits in the trailer). While sitting on a bench waiting for my mom and sister, I told her about boyfriend issues, and instead of getting uncomfortable she wrapped her fragile arms around me and said "baby girl, I'd love to tell you it gets easier, but a break up at 19 hurts just as much as a break up at 78." & We related, we were on the same level of how skeezy guys could be (and after her first husband she probably knew that more than any other women) and on the same level on how it doesn't get easier and people who say it does are full of baloney. That night we sat down and watched my aunt and uncles 40 year anniversary video (it was heartwarming, it was so much better than Disney princess movies because it was real) I realized that my grandma, this little, old, tough as nails woman, who still mows her own yard gave so much to my life and others that I never even realized.
So this is my belief,  I believe that what my parents said was true, you do appreciate some things more when you get older.
I'm just happy I realize this now, and not until it become the "you don't know what you have until its gone" cliche. If only everything worked out that way.

Love love love this song.