So Long Grandma

Farewell Grandma,

In the middle of the night around 3:15am my son woke up and started to cry for no
apparent reason. He is an amazing sleeper and does not usually wake up at all. That
morning we were leaving for our first vacation in over 2 years. As I walked out the
front door my uncle called me at 7am. I immediately knew why he was calling, as him
and I do not talk much and it was early my time.

He began to explain that when the assisted living staff did their rounds, they found my
Grandma Shirley, my best friend, my only living grandparent, had passed away in her
sleep at the ripe age of 97. He told me that they believe the time of death was at
6:15am EST. This means that my son had woken up in the middle of the night exactly
when Shirley was passing. Sylas is her namesake.

I was shaken, though we also had to catch a flight. I yelled inside to my wife, "Shirley
died, get in the car!" On the drive to the airport, the energy of the passing sunk in
and I began to weep. I had not had a good cry in some time. I was relieved that she
had passed away in her sleep and also grief struck.

My grandma Shirley was sharp as a tac up until the last day she was embodied. I saw
her a week before she left us and spoke to her the day before she passed away. She
kept telling me she was "not for this world anymore".
Born in 1926, I could feel how the world passed her by. Her way of being was from
the old world. She had respect for others opinions and also did not want to carry
others problems. Shirley lived her life powerfully. She out-lived her husband by 27
years, her son/my father by 13 years, and all of her friends. So getting to this point
was sad but sweet. She was ready to go.

My grandma constantly was telling me one central piece of advice I will
share with you all... Do not wait to do the things you want to do. She would
say, by the time you get around to it you will be different and may not feel
like going or doing that same thing. Live in the present, make mistakes, live
your life, that is what we are here to do.

I love you Grandma. You are missed oh so much.

Love Always and Forever.

Your Grandson,
Matthew