In My Head: Dearest Isabella, Part 6

Ilma Beryldine Broaddus Lynn. There were, and are, so many wonderful women in my life but the best was and is my Mom. Isabella, she is one of your great grandmothers -- Grandma Beryldine. At age 92, she still has a beautiful smile and sweet spirit. She doesn't remember very well anymore and has lived in a home for people with memory loss for about a year. The other day when I was there visiting the activity director there told me that Grandma Beryldine tells her regularly how blessed she is and how happy she is to have such a nice place to live. Never a bit of grumbling about her circumstances or where she now lives! And the activity director said that Grandma Beryldine is the only resident who ever tells her that. She is the most unselfish person I have ever known! She always does what is best for everyone else rather than herself. When she moved to Houston, she said she wanted to do it before she “had to” and when she could still make friends rather than just rely on Coach and me to entertain her. Her attitude has always been such an example to me and to Coach and your Uncle Curt and your Mom. She always wanted me to go out and learn how to be with people; then she would add “all kinds of people.” She is the reason that I so love meeting and being with people! She lived on the farm and could not participate in after school activities because she had to ride the school bus home right after the school day ended. So, I got to do any activity I ever wanted to try. She did not spoil me (At least I don't think that I am spoiled. Ha) by indulging me but she encouraged me and supported me in everything that I ever did. She was always my biggest supporter. When your Mom and Uncle Curt came along, she was their biggest supporters as well. She was the minister’s secretary all my life. She started out keeping the books accounting for the Church's money and when Daddy gave her a mink coat for Christmas one year, she made him take it back because she didn’t want anyone to think she was stealing money from the collection plate and buying a mink coat with it. Trust me! Everyone at that Church loved her and admired her so much that that thought would never have occurred to anyone. People would sometimes stop in the Church office unannounced to visit with the minister about a complaint that they had. She would listen to the person talk while they waited for the minister to be available and, often, by the time the minister was available, the person was satisfied just by having had Grandma Beryldine listen to them sympathetically. She was a life long worrier, but also a life long encourager. I am honored to have called her Mother.

Well, Isabella, these are just some of the women that influenced me growing up. It was a good exercise to think about them with such pleasant memories that night that I held you for the first time. I hope when you are holding your grandbabies, you will be able to recall all the women in your life that made you the person you will have become. You won’t remember that night when you were ten days old and I held you in my arms most of the night and prayed over you but it was one of God’s sweetest gifts to me.

I will love you forever.

Cici (Cease)

P.S. Another time I will tell you about more people that influenced me as I was an adult. Remember, I wasn’t really much of an adult when I got married. I was 18 (Almost 19, I like to point out) and Coach was 21. We have pretty much grown up together. Another time I will tell you about people that I have met along the way that helped me become who I am today.