My maternal grandmother, Theresa “Terry” Grady, just celebrated her 95th birthday in June. To say she’s an inspiration is an understatement. When my four younger siblings and I were younger, we always thought our grandmother was a “cool” grandma.
She wasn’t like other grandmothers because she wore colorful bubble dresses, which were trendy at the time, and threw lavish parties with my grandfather at the lake house they lived in for most of our childhood. Looking back on her wonderful life, it’s easy to see what has helped her thrive well into her 90s.
Family is everything to her
Growing up, every friend of my grandparents I met would immediately say off with the words, “I’ve heard so much about you!” If there is one thing my grandma taught me over the years, it’s the importance of family.
She would boast about her eight grandchildren every chance she got. She still does, even now that we’re in our 20s and 30s. She has six great-grandchildren who are 5 and under, and it’s so fun to see how she interacts with all of them.
Grandma G., as we affectionately called her, was married to my grandfather, Ed Grady, for 65 years. The two of them set a wonderful example of a loving, successful, long-lasting relationship. Sure, their marriage had its ups and downs, but as my siblings and I all married over the last eight or so years, Grandma was always quick to lend a piece of advice or be a living reminder of the fact that long marriages can still last with a little faith, true love, and a whole lot of compromise.
When social media came on the scene, my grandmother made it her priority to learn Facebook, and often pops up liking our photos or a post here and there. According to her, the steadfast yearning to stay connected, especially to her grandchildren, has helped lengthen her years.
Courtesy of the author.
She enjoys everything in moderation
My family and I often (lovingly!) tease my grandma when we go out to eat or have family dinners. She always takes half her meal home, and she enjoys holiday staples like roast turkey or Christmas cookies in moderation, as well.
The truth is, as an adult, the way my grandma shaped her eating habits makes sense to her. She knows what works for her body, especially when it comes to portion control. She does indulge every now and again, but she also makes sure she gets lots of protein, fruit, and vegetables.
At 95, her eating habits seemed to have helped, as she is quite healthy for her age.
She keeps the faith
My grandparents raised my mother and two uncles Catholic, and my mom and dad raised my siblings and me Catholic, as well. One secret to my grandma’s longevity is her faith. No matter what you believe in, she taught us that believing in something is crucial to getting through life’s highest of highs and lowest of lows.
Faith in her religion is what got my grandma through the death of my grandpa in 2015. Through prayer and her friends from her faith community, she was able to get through one of the worst times of her life.
It’s also through her faith that she has found an innate sense of courage, strength, hope, and kindness within herself, which has allowed her such a long life. In fact, I hope to update this story in five years when we’re celebrating her 100th birthday!
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