My great-grandmother was a super hero, and I mean that in the truest sense of the word.
Here’s what I know about her:
She fought a long and hard battle with cancer, and beat it multiple times.
She died after a long and happy life, of natural causes.
She spent her time creating– crocheting afghans, forming Christmas ornaments out of her medicine cups in the hospital, hand-painting countless pieces of china, doing needlework, etc. etc. etc. Our homes are filled to the brim with her artistry.
She protected her family from those that would hurt them– literally by standing in their path.
I never met Mama Ted, but I have grown up hearing her stories of bravery, courage, and perseverance. She is the truest super hero I know.
Most of the thoughts I have about Mama Ted may not be true, but that doesn’t matter. Somehow, she inspires me even more as a mysterious influence from afar. Being her great-granddaughter means so much to me, because she is a woman I would be proud to represent.
The attribute I most often associate with my great-grandmother is strength.
I was blessed to receive one of her rings as a graduation gift, passed down to me from my Granny. I choose to wear her ring as a reminder of how strong one woman can truly be. I wear her ring, and I am reminded that I have strength literally running in my veins. I imagine Mama Ted looking down on me from heaven, and smiling to see that I try to live out her legacy– a legacy of a woman I never even knew.
Today, I wore Mama Ted’s ring. It gave me the strength I needed to face one of my biggest fears.
Fear is funny sometimes– it makes itself strong in the shadows. It hides itself, and refuses to even let you know of its presence. Sometimes, you may harbor fears for months or even years without even knowing they existed.
What I love about fear is how easy it can be to eliminate. For me, once I realize that a fear even exists, I can take immediate action to face it. Once the denial is gone, there’s no hiding anymore.
I’m not willing to sit and be afraid of anything.
I’m through hiding.
It’s time to live in the light.
We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot. – Eleanor Roosevelt