My Nonna. She has been on my heart a lot lately. And this picture captures the essence of her beautiful always smiling face, the love that always beamed from her eyes, the peace and joy that filled every encounter with her.
My Nonna Rosina always wore a babushka on her head and was always fingering her rosaries in her apron pocket.
There are so many memories growing up with my grandparents right next door. The delicious cookies and 7 UP she would bring out when we were playing outside, cooking and baking with her, she loved sweet potatoes and potatoes in general and often added cinnamon to her chicken and steak while cooking.
Nonna
kept a stash of 7 UP under her bed to the chagrin of my grandfather and the
inside door to her little walk in closet was plastered with Holy Cards, her
dresser had framed pictures of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred
Heart of Jesus that are now in my bible and the couch in her living room was
covered in plastic. She kept her little stash of money in a handkerchief she
made into a pouch that affixed to her bra with safety pin and she was always
pulling out and giving you money and telling you to put it right away so no one
would know. She spent most of her time in her kitchen, in our kitchen with my
mom and dad or sitting outside watching us play. The second she saw you her
eyes would light up and she couldn't wait to hug and love on you and pinch your
cheeks. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her world and her
beaming smile gave it away every time. And every day, numerous times during the
day she sat in her chair by the fireplace to pray her rosary, sometimes when I
was there with the TV on with no sound, she never turned on the sound, she
spoke only Italian and didn't understand what they were saying. As a kid I used
to interpret for her and often my mother because my grandmother spoke no
English and when I was young my mother still predominately spoke Italian.
When I think back, there are so so many memories, but what I remember most about my Nonna is the LOVE, peace and joy that was her essence, filled her heart and beamed from her always smiling and joyful face and countenance.
And I will always remember her faith and her love of God and the Blessed Mother. Nonna was a fierce protector of my mother, her only child, while being separated from my grandfather who was here in the US and not seeing or being reunited with him for 36 years. During that time apart while he was in the US, she suffered and endured a life of unspeakable hardship in Italy before she came to the US. And again when reunited with my grandfather after 36 years she had her share of hardships and sufferings here too.
But nothing she experienced or endured ever diminished her capacity for love or the joy and peace that surrounded her. My Nonna made a choice every day to live a life of love and to hold tight to her faith and that is exactly what she did. And even when Alzheimer's began to seep in the light of love and joy she carried always never faded.
Maybe that is why during this Advent as I await the birth of sweet baby Jesus and love and joy and peace He brings my Nonna Rosina remains so close on my heart for at a young age I was blessed to witness the Light He brings to the world shining bright in her !
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