My Great Grandmother Died Last Night

My Great Grandmother (I called her GG) died last night. She was in her 80's.

I find myself filled with sorrow. But not for the reasons you might think.

GG was a mean woman. Before you say "Well maybe it was because she was older and just grouchy." No. GG was a mean women her entire life. She caused her family lots of pain and heartache with her actions and words. One might say that maybe she was mean because she had a bad upbringing, but that is also not the case. Her father treated her like a princess, while her sister was treated worse.

GG had four children. All of them live in different areas and rarely talk, or get along with each other. The girls escaped from GG as quickly as they good. GG liked males more then females and her son was treated like the Golden child.  My own grandmother felt a since of duty to GG since she was her own flesh and blood and has helped take care of her for the past several years. She's helped GG move from where she was living to Bakersfield. My grandma helped her move into 4 different homes over the years, before GG had to be put in a rest home because my Grandma wasn't able to take care of her healthwise with GG's health declined.

Even though my Grandmother was the only one to take care of GG, GG was still mean to her and often said mean, hurtful things to her. My Mom tried to protect me from GG over the years because my Mom had been hurt in the past by GG. GG had the meanest mouth and could cut many a person down just verbally.

I could tell you about other stories like how her idea of animal control was throwing kittens into a bag into the river or cremating one of her late husbands when he told her he never wanted to be cremated or how one of her husbands had their marriage annulled right when they got back from their honeymoon because she wanted complete access to all of his money in hopes that you would understand why I am not sad that she has passed away.

I am very sad though, for the waste of a person. If she had been a nicer person, the family might have been different.  Her children and their family could have been closer to ours. Perhaps we could have had huge Christmas get together's or a family reunion every year. I am sad that I see some of my GG in my Grandma, though my Grandma is still a better person then GG was.

There are always What if's aren't there?  But for now, I will just mourn the person she could have been.