My grandmother was a committed lady. I don't mean committed as in institutionalized, I mean committed as someone that has achieved success. The reason I'm talking about this is because today is a bittersweet day. I bring up my Grandmother, because today is my grandmother's funeral. Maybe it's really a memorial because her body won't be there. I don't really know and I don't think it is important. Whatever it is, the family is getting together to pay respects, remember and celebrate a rather long and well lived life of the family matriarch. As a kid I think about my grandmother's house growing up. Her home was the central focus for the entire family. Whenever anything happened good or bad, we went to my grandmother's house. She is the last of her generation in my family, and we could learn a little from that generation.
My grandmothers house wasn't a very big house, but it was big enough for everyone to have a seat and a smile. Most holidays were spent at my grandmother's house with the entire family there. When fireworks were still legal in Los Angeles, we would have 20 people or more in a very small backyard running around with fireworks. Oddly enough no one ever got hurt. It was always safe, nobody could insult you or hurt you while you were there. If someone started picking on you, my grandmother could always fix it with chocolate milk. If a fight broke out, it could be ended with cake. She had so many activities for every kid you never really had time to bicker or fight anyway. TV was out, my granddad only allowed golf on TV. If you said something negative about another family member or someone outside the house she would just laugh it off and say "don't be ridiculous." She would say it with a smile that somehow let you know what you were doing or saying was wrong.
