My grandmother Vivian Geraldine Polito was kindhearted and generous, and a force to be reckoned with. Granted, I only knew her as my loving, nurturing grandmother…but it was fairly apparent to me that she didn’t take shit from anyone. Not even me.
Today is her birthday.
Her family background is Italian and Polish, and you better believe that she had some of the best recipes on this planet. Earlier in life, she spent some of her time as a WWII WAC, where she met my grandfather. I don’t know much about this time period, but I do know that after I was born, she was my champion. She stepped up when others would not. She chipped in, just because. She took care of me, and my family. She was frickin’ amazing.
As you may have guessed, she is the other main influence in my life. Where my grandfather provided an intellectual outlet, my grandmother provided…pretty much everything else. Not to say that she was not an intellectual. She and my grandfather would have very passionate…discussions about history, politics and world events, most of which I was too young to understand or be interested in at the time…but she was definitely intelligent…although she seemed to be more interested in avoiding conflict and at peace with letting things just be. My fondest memories of our time together include our walks through the woods and “fishing for leaves”, gardening, crafting, and staying up late to watch British comedy and mystery shows while having a midnight snack.
These were my happiest days.
While I have painted a fairly serene picture of my grandmother, I also think of her as a blonde version of Rosie the Riveter. She even wore the bandana around her head (while gardening or hiking, but still…). She’s kind of a bad-ass, in her own loving way.
Outside of the house, she volunteered to maintain a garden that was about 20 minutes away. She took me to my piano lessons and attended all of my recitals. She encouraged me to use my imagination and creativity. She read to me and danced with me, and thanks to her I have a deep appreciation for all types of music, from all over the world. She shared with me the wisdom of Eastern medicine and philosophies. She taught me many essential survival skills and life lessons that I once took for granted.
She made me happy and kept me safe.
In addition to maintaining a home, she also maintained her own garden, which included fruits and vegetables, and several trees and plants throughout the 14 acre property. She showed me the purpose of composting and how our “scraps” could still feed the soil, and continue to contribute to the thriving garden which produced our food. The amazing cycle of life. She was famous for making Sunday dinner and all of the holidays extra special. Meals were plentiful and homemade, the family room overflowing with gifts on special occasions. The table was always formally decorated with the “good silverware and china”, but our gatherings were always comfortable and inviting and full of meaningful conversations.
These are all small details, but the point is that, even when her feathers were ruffled, she continued to naturally open her home and heart to set an example. She did all of this with grace and beauty and love…and most importantly, she kept our family together.
She was the beautiful flower that everyone loved.
She is…Vivian the Great.
