My grandmother took her last breath on May 5th 2017. At 92 years old her work here on earth was completed. As I watched my grandmother become someone who no longer could remember much, use the restroom by herself or eat by herself, he was still as feisty as ever.

This lady was the real MVP. She was the monarch of our family and gave all she could give even if she didn’t have much. There will be no one like here. So vibrant, always smiling and I could just hear her now asking my mom “He gonsa Wah-na” in Garifuna which means “Where is woman?”  (my family is from Belize and we are Garifuna, I’ll explain all this one day) According to my grandma I have always acted like I was a grown women even when I wasn’t quite there yet.

This lady I swear had some sayings and a spunk about her that made even the toughness person say “your granny is so cool, I like her”

She was truly an awesome lady. If you have your grandmother cherish her, if you never met your grandmother take some below from mines. If your grandmother has passed I feel your pain, either find out more about her or try to live a little like her every day.

Here are the 6 Life Lessons my grandma taught me

1. Work hard for your living – She would always tell me about how she use to go miles away from home to work and make a living for herself. But my mom would joke and say “but we never seen you work”. Well since my grandmother is from Belize from a small town name Dangriga , my mom was correct there were not jobs or work the way we know it now in 1950 but my grandmother mother would cook food or bake bread then sell it and that is how she made a living for herself, her children and husband. Life lesson: Do what you have to do to sustain your living. Not a fancy living but a good living.
2. If you don’t have, you just don’t have it – There is an on joke and saying my grandmother would say “even if it’s just 50 cents someone ask you, if you don’t have, you just don’t have it” Even if someone asked you for something as small as 50 cents you can’t pull it out the air and give it them because you just don’t. Life lesson: Sometimes you won’t have it to give and it’s nothing to feel bad about because you legit don’t have it.
3. Bid people the time of day: My grandma was big on you greeting people when they entered a room or just walking on the streets. No matter the time of the day she expected you to say, Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening, Good night. NO questions asked you better say it or else that would be a problem between you and her. But not for long because she could never stay mad long enough. Life lesson: Greet people daily, you never know if you were the first person to speak to that person all day.
4. Others eat before you do– Everyone know that if you wanted food just head over to Aunt Amanda’s, Grandma Amanda’s or Ms. Amanda’s house and she would feed you. This lady would cook everyday if you let her and she would always cook big because she knew others would show up and she needed to have enough for any that would stop by and if someone came and all she had left was her portion she would give it to them . Life Lesson: Give to others before you give to yourself.
5. Treat everyone like family- Need a place to stay just head over to Aunt Amanda’s, Grandma Amanda’s or Ms. Amanda’s house she treated everyone just like they were family not the shady kind of family that gives you the side eye on their door step but the you can stay here as long as you need and I won’t charge you a dime type of family. (You’re probably like are you for real?) Yes I am so serious she has accepted so many people in her home because she does not believe turning her back on those in need. Life Lesson : Treat people like real family and don’t expect nothing in return
6. Use what you have: This lady always made something out of barely nothing. Give her $5 and you would have food for a week. All she needed was flour and you would have bread, tortilla, fry jacks, Johnny cake and bun. Life lesson: Even if you have a little you can figure out a way to make it more than enough.

These are good life lessons that I have always known but something that I wanted to share with all of you. I hope that you have gotten something out of this.

I heart you guys. Greetings from Belize!

Now its your turn, what life lessons have your learn from your grandma grandparent?