I miss both my Grandmothers so much. Sometimes when the phone rings I'll think for a brief moment that it might be one of them, and then I'll remember they've passed away. It doesn't make me sad anymore but it still feels so odd knowing they won't be calling again.

You see my Grandmothers played a big part in my life and taught me so much. They were both strong women who knew what they wanted and got it. They taught me that you have to work hard and that above all else you respect and care for your family.

My maternal Grandmother was Italian and lived on a farm. I remember learning to cook in her kitchen. She had a way of making it seem like we were sharing some sort of secret. As I grew up I realized that she taught my Mom and Aunt as well but it was still special time we spent together.

She taught me about keeping a garden. We would spend afternoons picking fruit and vegetables from around the farm. We would get eggs from her chickens, and even though I was so scared of them I knew that I was okay because my Grandma was there.

When I was older I used to laugh when we would take my Grandmother shopping, she was this short little woman with a cane by then. Once she had her hands on the shopping cart she turned into some sort of speed shopper. People had to move quickly to get out of her way and thankfully she (at least to my knowledge) never hit anyone with the cart. She was just trying to get in and out as quick as possible.

It was just under two years ago that she passed away. It was rough because even though I knew she was sick I had so much hope that she would make it. I will cherish all my memories of her and hopefully someday pass on everything she taught me to my children.

Now my paternal Grandmother is a whole other story. It's been about ten years since she passed away and I was there when it happened. I was reading to her when she slipped away and although I was devastated when she died I glad I was there. In the tragedy of her death I got one last happy memory of reading to her.

She lived to be ninety-one so she had a nice long life, which was very colorful. I'm still finding out new things about her. It seems I was too young to heat about these things before.

She did teach me dirty jokes which I didn't fully understand at the time but made me laugh so hard I would cry. No one could tell her what to do and she made sure I understood that I was to respect my elders but I also had to make sure I was taken advantage of. Also I had to find my own path in life or else I wouldn't be happy.

I will always miss and cherish these women. The impact they had on my life is huge and I just hope that I can be a strong woman like they wanted me to be.

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