My Grandma

Regina Kane carries her many rosaries. As an Irish Catholic with a name that honors the
Virgin Mary, she adores these little signs of Mary and Jesus in her life. When someone asks for
prayers, she religiously says decades of the rosary in hopes that their situation will improve. Her
prayers have never failed, even if it is on God’s time. She is also a magnet for signs from God.
One such sign came after the death of her husband when an old friend who had not called in
years decided to call fifteen minutes after William Kane’s death to check on the family without
knowing of the tragedy. We think these revelations come from her intense devotion to praying
the rosary.
She carries her family. She carried seven children in her womb. She wanted thirteen but
the doctor said no more after my mom burst some of the veins in her legs. She and her husband,
William Kane-a strict father with roots in the marines-had little money to spend on their seven
kids, but they made the most of it by showering them with love and instituting in them a deep
faith in God. To this day she cares for them. Most of her children’s families live fifteen miles
away from her at most, just so she can check up on everyone. She is always in constant prayer
that we stay safe and healthy, and even in her old age, she still takes care of my suffering Aunt
who is a stubborn individual with many addictions as well as ceaseless back problems.
She carries dark chocolate. The next best thing after her family is chocolate, specifically
dark chocolate. Every holiday she would pray for two things, a healthy family and dark
chocolate. Everyone knows how much she loves it, so it is customary for the whole family to buy
her dark chocolate in immense amounts. The great mass of dark chocolate gives her an
opportunity to enjoy it while also allowing her to share it with everyone in the family because
she knows that all her kids admire dark chocolate as well. The only thing she loves more than
dark chocolate is a happy family.
She carries her worry. Most of her children had problems in their early adult lives. Some
of her daughters have had marital and drug problems. One was hospitalized on an overdose and
another for spinal problems. The daughter with spinal problems still suffers to this day. One of
her grandkids also suffers with drug problems and she prays incessantly for a sign that he will
better his situation. Over the years this worry has plagued her non-stop, and even in times of
familial tranquility she still finds something to worry about. We have to take caution when
talking to her as to not provoke her paranoia. She wants her family to be free of turmoil, but the
choices of her children destroy her dreams and keep her in this constant state of worry.
She carries her compassion. A lovely kindness that few on this earth have. When they
acted up, the only thing she could threaten her children with was “I’m going to tell your father.”.
She could not even do that. She cared to much about the happiness of the family to provoke her
husband. Apart from her family, strangers she had just met were able to see her compassion. She
had the ability to strike up a conversation with anyone and proceeded to help them in any way
she could. She cleans the alter linens at church and always goes to greet the people at mass and
ask if she can help them at all, despite her inability to do much. Even to her dying breath, she
will always be there for everyone.
 She carries her mind. It is a deteriorating one. One with early onset dementia. Her
thoughts are jumbled up, and she wanders at times. She can never seem to remember anything,
and coupled with her nonexistent hearing, it becomes a burden to conversate with her. At times it
makes her angry because she is constantly aware that it is going downhill, and it will not be
getting any better. You know she has forgotten something when you hear, “JESUS, MARY,
AND JOSEPH”. The only things she can remember are her worries and her love for her family.
As she grows older and older, she will not get easier to talk to, but I feel like she will
become even stronger in her faith and in her care for her family. She may forget words, events,
and people, but the thoughts in the back of her mind will always remind her to keep her loving
instincts for both God and people.

Revisions:
I added more of a description for both characters and events, and also changed some phrases and
sentences that did not make sense. I explained the signs more in depth and expanded on the
descriptions of my Aunt and Grandpa: William Kane.