Tribute to My Grandma News of death is something I never expected to hear or receive, at least not for another ten years—especially when it is about a mother, grandmother, friend, mentor, advisor, sister, and someone whose life was more than a blessing to everyone she knew, or even those who only briefly encountered her. I look back at the kind of life you lived, and I am nothing but grateful that I had someone like you in my life. You taught me so much, told me the harsh truths (far more often than I wanted), encouraged me, and hyped me up whenever it mattered. Your prayers, your words, the lessons you taught, and the life you led have all contributed to making me who I am today, and I am eternally grateful to God for you. You readily dropped everything just so you could be involved in my life and in the lives of all those who mattered to you. Even in pain, you bore so much of it quietly, simply to ensure that everyone around you was okay. You continuously put the needs of others before your own, and you always did so with a smile. As much as it pains me to say goodbye, I am more than certain that you are in a much better place, and that is exactly what you deserve after a life so well lived that it makes 73 human years seem like 100 divine years. Rest easy, knowing that I will live up to—and even surpass—the expectations you had for me. I love you, Grandma.