My mum told me this story about my sister losing her baby at the age of 17.  I learned the importance of spending time with your family.

Grandmother

My mum says she has three beautiful children (two daughters, 20 and 18, and a son, 12, me). She always knew that she didn’t want to become a grandmother until her children were in their twenties. By this time, she thought that her children would have gotten a good education and good jobs to support themselves. But, on 22 February 2016, she became a grandmother at 41 and her second daughter, my sister, a mother at 17.

The hospital called my mum to the maternity ward, since my sister had been admitted and it was urgent. When my mum arrived, it was to be told that my sister had given birth, and the baby boy had passed away.

My mum was still very angry with my sister for denying her pregnancy. When the nurse handed her the baby (whom my sister named after my grandfather), her anger was replaced with love for the little baby.

She thought her grandson was the cutest little baby in the world. She never got to see his eyes open, but closed, he just looked like an angel. She said he had beautiful cheeks, nose, eyebrows, ears, fingers, arms, legs, toes, and tall in height.

She spent the night in the hospital with my sister and the baby, her grandson. When my sister was able to leave, they went home. I remember when they came home. We bathed our little baby boy before dressing him and spent what few hours we had with him in our living room, before we laid him to rest in the same tomb as my papa.

My mum shared her memory of what happened:

“They say things happen for a reason. I am not sure what that reason was for me or my daughter. But, I have realised for myself that I would have loved to have been a grandmother and watch my baby grow.

A year on and my daughter has had to mature fast and I know her son is what motivates her to try and stay on the right path. Even though she carried her baby for seven months, and only got to spend a day with him on Earth, he will never be forgotten.

My daughter had her first Mother’s Day this year, and I gifted her with her first canvas – ‘The Serenity Prayer’ – something that means a lot to me and hope will bring meaning to her life.”

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”