The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Grandma's Love Wasn't Just For Valentine's Day

Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher-Owner

11 February 2004

I suppose it is appropriate that my mother-in-law, Lucille Rodeffer, passed away on Valentines week this week. It is the time we show our love by doing extra special things for them and tell them how much we care about them. That is what Lucille was all about.

Where my father-in-law had been reserved about outwardly showing his love, Lucille had an over-abundance of hugs and encouraging words for each one in the family.

Grandpa always encouraged her and seemed pleased that she would say all the rights words he found difficult to say. I remember Lucille calling many times throughout illnesses in my family with Grandpa on the extension phone. Grandma would say, "Bud" thought I should call and see how you were.

While they both needed family, Lucille would often voice her concern that she wanted the family all to be called and to come.

I will remember how she beamed, even with all those tubes and monitors, and an oxygen mask while in Intensive Care each time a family member came in to see her. Several times she asked for them all to be there, together, and then she would just smile and smile.

What will we do without the loving arms of Lucille, a loving grandma who had the hugs and the time for each of us? What will we do?

As we head into this Valentines weekend, I am reminded how much we all need love, hugs, and encouragement. There are many, like my father-in-law, who are not good at expressing their need for love or at expressing words of love, yet we know that they yearn and need caring people in their lives.

And then there are those people like Lucille, where expressing their love just seems to flow.

Is there someone that is yearning for a caring hand, a needed hug, or words of affirmation in your life? Is there someone you need to forgive and accept even with their imperfections? Is someone in your life longing for a hug? I suspect so. I suspect each of us has someone in our life who we have been neglecting.

Let us take advantage of this Valentines Day and show that we care for all of our family members. It could be a card or flowers, a visit or a phone call, but try to express to others that they do matter to you.

Give them what Lucille always gave to each in our family, the continued reassurance that our life matters and that she loved us. Her attention and love was not given because we earned it or deserved it, but because we were a part of the family. That was enough for her.

And then, she didn't save her affection just for special occasions. You could count on it every day of the year.