Grandma Aggie

https://www.pinktifuloflove.com/blogs/inspiration-quotes-motivation?page=2

In cleaning out boxes of photos and memorabilia, I came across Walt Kelly's eulogy given at Grandma Aggie's funeral. Here are some of the memories he wrote...It began with these references about love: (1 John 7, 8, 16)

My dear people. Let us love one another, since love comes from God. And everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Anyone who fails to love can never have known God, because God is love.

God is love. And anyone who lives in love, lives in God, and God lives in him.  

If we reflect, we will know that we have come... not to mourn in the face of death... but to give a living tribute to the presence of love... a woman's love for God.

Aggie would admit to her love for all of us, but she would be the last to boast of her love for God.
Perhaps she will forgive us if today we make such a boast for her.

For surely if love of God means love of our brother--- and if love of the brother means: love of family, love of friends, love of life... Then we can boast for Aggie that she loves God--- and in a special way.

About Aggie's love for family, I can't tell you, her children, what you know better than I. Much of her love for you could be seen by us.

About Aggie's love for friends and life, it is easy to speak because for this there is a flood of memories... to choose only the most recent-- the party last month at Rene's-- is to recall Aggie's love of life and of us at it's best. There she was joking, kidding, smiling--thoroughly enjoying herself. This is the way we will always remember her.

Aggie loved life. But of course she should have; hers was a full life:  full of years, full of friends, full of many happinesses... And it was a life unmashed by twilight years.

If we can overlook the inevitable toll the years take on the body and say that what really matters in our living is a sense of humor, quickness of mind and youthfulness of spirit, then Aggie never knew a twilight. She died as she lived-- in the prime of her life.

These loves of Aggie -- family, friend, and life -- are, we think the proof St. John requires of a deeper love of hers-- the love of God.

And this love for God, as she lived it, was a completely natural thing without any of the pious posturing, the holier-than-thou attitudes we often associate with people we call "religious".

At the same time, this love for God was marked by deep faith, firm convictions, and a trusting confidence in Him.

Independence is a magnificent quality -- and among Aggie's many qualities, independence was very near the top of the list; decisiveness and tenacity were not far behind. Anyone who ever tried to refuse her offer of a cup of tea has a simple, but perfect example of what I mean.

I don't know how it was in her early years, but in the time I have known Aggie, I would suspect any important decisions were made by only two persons-- herself and God. And I can imagine--- I don't think it is irreverent to say this-- that before the two of them reached final agreement, Aggie may, have given Him a good argument.

She said many times that no matter who or what many told her what they thought she should be doing, she knew what she ought to be doing, and she would do it.

If it was so in her living, then it must have been so in her dying. I can't imagine Aggie leaving so important a decision as that to anyone but herself and God. I suspect she knew her time had come, and went about things in her own way. If this is so, none of us could have changed her mind.

Yet we do want part of Aggie's life on earth to continue with us, and it is right that we do.
We should, then, choose the most important part, and make it live on in us.
Her love -- for God, for life, and especially for her family -- is that most important part of her life.

Your work is to make your mother's love for you, her children, live on in the love you learned from her, which, like her, you give equally to each and all of yourselves.

For Aggie, herself, though, let there be only one wish-- for that peace which is the outgrowth and reward of her love.

I know this was her wish for herself. Each night, just before sleep, she recited a prayer written by Cardinal Newman. It is fitting, I think, that we recite this prayer for her now, and let it express our single wish for Aggie.

May He support us all the day long till the shades lengthen and the evening comes and the busy world is hushed and the fever of life is done.

Then in His mercy, may He give us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last. 

Please email me or Dan, any Mother's Day remembrances, if you wish, and we will be happy to share them!
Keeping ALL of you and your loved ones in my heart and prayers, during this extended time of separation. Stay well and continue on in hope... This too shall pass!
LYM,
Reenie