Shatter Me

My grandmother has the most beautiful things, including china, dishes, candlesticks, lamps. A lot of glass. My grandmother also has a lot of grandchildren. Grandchildren who are clumsy with their running feet and sticky fingers. 

These things don't go well together and I myself, as well as other cousins, have on numerous occasions broken from of Gram's glass-ware. There's a split second of silence after something shatters on the ground and it's in that second that I would catch my breath in shock waiting for the reprimand, gasp, disapproval. And in that split second, the owner of the lovely and probably expensive glass item has a choice of their reaction. 

My grandma, always, no matter what it was that broke, said something to the effect of: "That's ok! Don't worry!" 

Immediately. No hesitation. I remember asking her about it later and having her tell me, "what's done is done and it's no use being upset over." She's so beautiful and my life is so edified by being able to know her. 

I want to be like her desperately and by the grace of God I was given the chance last night. We had a young mother and her two toddlers over for dinner and when the 3 yr. old begged for a small glass cup I had a sense it wouldn't end well. Sure enough she dropped it from the table onto the cement floor. In that tiny second, grandma crossed my mind and I said as cheerfully as possible, "That's ok!!" So she knew we weren't mad at this accident.

All I can do is thank God for the grace of that moment that my own temper, stubbornness and impatient reaction shattered with that cup and it became a moment of victory over "self." 

Thanks Gram. I miss you like crazy.

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