Helen Emily

Yesterday my family gathered in Toronto to bid a loving adieu to my grandmother, who passed away earlier this past week. Although I did look into the possibility of heading home for the funeral, the logistics of returning to Canada for such a short time were complicated. It is hard to miss a family event such as this, and in the end I participated by writing a little something which my brother then read at the ceremony.

My grandmother was an amazing person and so many happy memories revolve around her and all the terrific times that my immediate family as well as all of my aunts, uncles, and cousins have had while visiting her. At least once a year, the entire clan [an original twenty and growing (we are now somewhere near thirty)], descends on Toronto, coming in from all kinds of far away lands – Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Victoria, California, Maryland, England, Japan, and now Brazil – to celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, or a family event.

Heading to my grandmother’s for the holidays was such an engrained tradition, that one year when I was informed that my family would be spending Christmas in Montreal, I wondered whether or not we even knew how to make a turkey. Apparently we did, but my mom wasn’t too happy that I questioned this!

I will miss my grandmother and the warmth with which she always welcomed us into her home and into her life. I rest assured though that the traditions will continue and her presence will live on in our family gatherings and our daily lives. Already the cousins are dreaming up the next encounter ....