Appreciations

December 1, 2005 was an emotional day for many of us as a devoted wife, responsible mother and loving grandmother answered God’s call, leaving with us, fond memories of her and a house left empty and desolate with memories of the great times we spent beside her.

My achchi, Clarice, in my opinion, gave a whole new meaning to the saying ‘happiness is a journey, not a destination’, as she lived her life to the fullest, making the most of everything that came along her way.

The 57 years she spent married to her one true love, Fred was undoubtedly the best time of her life. My Seeya, Fred was renowned for his great character and perfect life. Indeed, behind every great man is a great woman, and to Seeya, it was her. Achchi adored him. She loved him truly and deeply. So much so, that she never regretted a second she was married to him. She always stood by Seeya at every step, every achievement of his life. Together with Seeya, she moulded her three children to be the best they can be.

They never hesitated to help the less fortunate in whatever way possible. Hence, their lives have inspired us all. The demise of Seeya – precisely five months before she died, was a big turning point in her life. Coping with his death was difficult for her and till the day she died, she missed him a lot. She often counted the days till she would be reunited forever with him.

Achchi was a high-spirited, talkative woman who always enjoyed telling her stories to anyone who would care to listen. As a remarkable mother, she raised her children with great love and care, teaching them to be humble and humane. As a loving grandmother, she always took a keen interest in our daily routines and was the happiest when any of us achieved something in life.

She was well known for her remarkable memory which she never lost, even till her very last day. She would always reminisce about all the fun moments she spent with Seeya and all the sweet and bitter times of her journey. The many stories told by her will always remain in my memory. I recall her telling me often that her life was so beautiful that not once did she regret anything in her life.

Even though the past 12 years of her life were spent in a wheelchair, she never allowed this to be a handicap and carried on happily.

Gone are the days I spent hours beside her, listening to her stories about her childhood, her life with Seeya, and the days I joined her in her prayers. The little time we spent together brought happiness and joy for her and all those long conversations I had with her are definitely being missed.

Never did she fail to wait for me till I came home from school, or my sister, from work. I recall her telling me how much she enjoyed seeing me walking home. She found happiness in such small everyday events in life and thus, inspired me to do so as well. I’m certain that such grandmothers are rare and I consider myself lucky to have had her as mine. I believe that she, together with Seeya, is looking down on all of us, and their spirits will always be among us and guide us through our lives.