For the past 24 years I have been fortunate enough to have all four of my grandparents alive and very much a part of my life. My father’s parents, Dick (PopPop) and Gloria (Oma) Bruce and my mother’s parents, John (Grandpa) and Martha (Grandma) Cox, showered me with love and affection throughout my childhood. As I matured and transitioned into adulthood, I realized just how amazing my grandparents have been. Both the Bruce’s and the Cox’s have set a life style of love and commitment through their marriages and devotion to their families.
My favorite time of the year has always been Christmas because it’s the one time of the year that I’ve been able to see both sides of the family. The Cox tradition has always been on Christmas day and the Bruce tradition always falls on the following days. Needless to say, this Christmas was very different from what I’ve ever experienced. I have never been away from home for Christmas and I knew I would be missing my family the most during Christmas time while in Swaziland on the World Race.
However the hardest part about this Christmas was the news I received on Christmas day. I was able to call home through a teammates phone and talk with my parents and siblings. I had a wonderful time catching up with everyone, it was the perfect gift while being away from home. When I asked how my Oma was doing, who had been sick in the hospital, my dad said she had passed away. Earlier in the month my parents had told me her sickness had gotten pretty bad and she may not make it much longer, but that didn’t make it any easier to hear the news that I would never see her again. Thankfully God has placed me on an amazing team that I was able to turn to for comfort and shoulders to cry on. I am so thankful for my teammates and squad mates who were there for me when I needed somebody.
I also received news that my Grandpa’s sickness had worsened and he had recently been moved to assisted living. Three months ago, while I was in Nepal, I was told my Grandpa had been diagnosed with cancer in his esophagus. So while trying to cope with the death of Oma, I now became worried about Grandpa.
To help process the passing of Oma I began writing this blog a week and a half later in South Africa. I finally began to feel at peace about her death. I even found an old picture of Oma holding me as a child.
I was ready to post this blog but then I received an email from my mother letting me know Grandpa had passed away. I almost couldn’t believe it. This past Sunday, on January 5th I was able to FaceTime with my grandpa on my Iphone. We had a conversation about my new hair, Christmas trees and when I would be returning from the race. He was coherent and in good spirits. I said goodbye and I love you and looked forward to the next time we would be able to speak. I went on living out my World Race life with my team in South Africa. Four days had passed since I spoke with Grandpa or used the internet and I decided to get online to check my mail. Before my messages were fully loaded I knew something was wrong from the title in the email from my mom. I immediately called her and she confirmed the bad news that Grandpa had died. The strange thing was, he had passed away the night I had spoken with him. I am thankful for the wonderful conversation I was able to have with him and will never forget it.
While my team has been comforting and this blog has given me some closure, at times I just want to remember Oma and Grandpa with a family member. To laugh about how Oma was the first one to ever spell my name Ali when my parents had intended to spell it Allie. Or remember her generous heart in always making sure every cousin received a special gift from her at Christmas or how she would always sent birthday cards with cute hand written notes signed Oma and Pop. Most of all remembering the incredible marriage she had with my Pop Pop. I’m sure there were rough times through the years of raising seven children, but what I saw was a life style of true love. A love that grew stronger through the passing of Uncle Rob. A love that built a family who understands the importance of hard and honest work. A love that placed me in a family with an incredible Father who taught me the value in patience.
I want to be with my Grandma and remember how Grandpa called her Mackie or Kingfish. I want to be with my parents and brothers and remember how Grandpa would always purposefully steam up his glasses while drinking his coffee. I want to be with my cousins and aunts and uncles and laugh about how much Grandpa hated the color purple. I also just want to be thankful with them, thanking God for the foundation Grandma and Grandpa laid out for all of us. Just as Oma and Pop Pop lived a life of love and Grandma and Grandpa lived a life of love and patience and selflessness. I am holding tight to God’s promises that he does not make mistakes and it’s no accident that I am away from home through these hard times. I thank God for giving me such amazing grandparents who set the foundation of faith, love, and joy that I now live in my own life.
To my PopPop- I am so thankful for the blessed life I am now living thanks to the life you and Oma chose to live.
To Grandma- I am so grateful for all you have done to help me become the person I am today. Just as Oma and PopPop taught me the value in family you also have opened my heart to genuine love that looks past mistakes and failures and just loves.
