Legacy

A Tribute to Nora M. Cummings, my beloved Gram

A word that has often come to mind and been spoken lately, is Legacy. More than just an item or a quality passed on from the generations that have come before us, it has come to mean the impact that we leave on those who survive us. My husband recently lost his grandfather last November, and what stood out so strongly to me was the incredible legacy he had left in the lives of his children and grandchildren. Now, as I am living my own experience of losing a grandparent, my heart and thoughts have turned in the same direction. A strong, vibrant woman, there is no doubt that my Gram left a strong, and vibrant legacy.

Family was everything to her. We were her most valued possession, and we all knew it. Creating memories and experiences with us was one of her biggest goals. Some grandparents pass on valuable wisdom and advice from the life they have lived. While she always had a ready, and often strong opinion, she didn’t just give us wisdom out of her own life, she LIVED right along with us.

As my mind began to sift through some of those precious memories and experiences, I realized just how much of an impact she truly had in my life. So much of who I am, and the things I have experienced, were because of influences she had.

At age 6, Gram and Papa took me to see the Colorado Ballet perform “The Four Facets”. This trip was complete with the gifts of a beautiful new dress and a purple satin-y coat with fur trim on the hood. The evening was topped off with rainbow ice cream at the Holiday Inn Hotel in downtown Denver. For my little heart, it was a magical evening. It’s no wonder I was hooked on ballet! The next fall, I began ballet lessons and it became one of the biggest parts of my life for the next 14 years.

When I was 11, Gram began taking me to work with her on Saturdays. I learned the basics of the optical business and cleaned a lot of display frames!!! When I was 16, I spent the summer working with her and learned even more about the world of an optician. When I moved out on my own at age 19, it wasn’t more than 5 months before she helped me find a position working for an ophthalmologist where I eventually ran the entire contact lens portion of the business. Because of her, I learned valuable job skills that enabled me to be confident entering the work force at a young age and with no college degree.

When I got a call one night from a cute guy I’d just met, she was there to share in the joy of my first real date! A few months later the same guy moved into their basement so that he could keep his job in the area and continue his relationship with me. A few months after that, she was there to photograph our courthouse wedding and one of the biggest days of my life.

So many wonderful trips and vacations, too! Neuschwanstein (Cinderella's) Castle, Disneyland, the Tetons, Santa Fe, NM, Lake Mead, NV, and Cozumel, Mexico!!! Just to name a few...

I learned to be adventurous, to try new things, and that spending time with the people you love is the most important thing in the world.

It’s not just the things we did, either. It’s also the things I learned to love. My parents and grandparents began taking me camping when I was just a few months old. I have more memories than I can ever count of us hiking, biking, 4-wheeling, and exploring over the years. Her love of the mountains was undeniable. To this day, there is no place that feels more like home to me than the Rocky Mountains of northern Colorado.

When I was barely a year old, Gram and Papa began giving me coffee, with lots of milk and sugar, in a sippy cup. I still can’t live without the stuff. When I was two, sticking black olives on my fingers was the only way to keep me quiet during their anniversary dinner. I still eat them that way. Because of her, I love Whole Foods Market and everything organic. Because of her, about 1/3 of my menu items are from the South Beach Cookbook! Because of her I have a love for plants and gardens, and the courage to try to grow my own. Because of her I try to shop for clothing that will mix and match, but I also never hesitate to purchase an item I truly love!

The legacy she has left in my life has shaped large portions of my identity. The things I've inherited from her will be with me always. Her life, and her love of life, was infectious.

I had always hoped for my children to have the same kind of relationship with her that I had. It breaks my heart that my children won’t get to meet her this side of heaven, but what I have realized is that the things I loved about her have become so much a part of me, that they will have an impact on my little ones after all.

Family and memories. Courage and adventure. Beauty and life. I have such a treasure trove of experiences to draw from because of her. So while some grandparents leave us their wisdom, she has left me with life. Because she lived, I have lived a little more than I ever could have without her.