Growing up, my favorite place in the world was my Grandmother's kitchen. From the time I was an infant, every morning I was dropped off at my Grandma’s house as my parents left for work. By the time I was a school aged child, my Grandfather picked me up from school every afternoon, and then I went to their house for afternoon snacks and "Leave it to Beaver." In middle school, I would walk to my Grandparents’ house after school. And in high school, I still did my best to find the time to visit my grandma who then lived alone, after my Grandfather’s passing.

I didn't realize until I was much older, that so much of the person I am today is a reflection on the impact that my Grandma had on my life. My morals, my own self-philosophy, are all directly a result of the time that I spent sitting by the fireplace and listening to stories from my Grandma’s childhood.

Especially during the holiday season I am reminded of all of the lessons my grandma taught me, some formally taught, and some I just learned through observing the graceful life my Grandmother led, and the incredible impact she left on my life.

Lesson Number 1: Family will always come first. My grandma had a very loose definition of the word family. It had nothing to do with a common last name or a marriage license. To my Grandma, family was anyone who was present in your life. Whether it was the woman who sat in her pew at the Lutheran Church down the block, the woman who lived across the street, or the friendly neighborhood mailman, my Grandma had spread her arms, sometimes wider than she could handle, to ensure that everyone in her life was loved and supported through all aspects of their life. She baked for all occasions, joyful and in times of sorrow, she held collections for flowers when a friend was hospitalized, and she ensured that everyone who sent her a Christmas card was sent one in return for every year to follow. And so, grandma baked a minced meat pie for her friend, an apple pie for the pastor, and a pumpkin pie for all three of her grandchildren.

Lesson Number 2: Respect is given, not earned. This is not to say that my Grandma was easily swayed, but she did give everyone a fair chance. She believed in forgiveness and in granting second, third, and even fourth chances. And so, even when she barely had food in the cabinets to make dinner for herself, she scrounged through the bits and pieces to make a full dinner for an old friend who came to visit in search of an apology.

Lesson Number 3: Find the time to read a book. Until the day she could no longer turn the page, my grandma read. She may not have enjoyed classics, and instead preferred romance novels, but my Grandma always found the time to read. Her house was spotless, her husband was fed, the garden was tended to, and of course, she had made sure that dinner was cooking by the time lunch was served. But, once the sauce for family dinner was simmering away on the stove, she would sit on her stool in the kitchen and read another book.

Lesson Number 4: Don’t be wasteful. My grandma lived through a time where she had to obey a ration system for all the things her and her family needed. She had learned to be resourceful in her lifestyle and responsible in her spendings. She took the time to see which market had the better sales, and shopped there. She saved paper towels which were used only to wipe up a small spill, and made sure that she only bought enough to serve half the block, instead of the whole neighborhood. So, once I helped to dry the dishes from dinner, she packaged the leftovers and had my sister and I deliver them to the neighbors up and down the street.

Lesson Number 5: Love. Like I mentioned earlier, my Grandma had no limits to the people she let into her life. She loved everyone so wholeheartedly. My grandparents were married for over 50 years. She bore 4 children, adopted one, cared for 3 granddaughters, and countless neighborhood children over a span of about 30 years. She loved harder than anyone I have even known, and I was lucky enough to have been loved by her. Despite the state of a friendship or a relationship, my Grandma taught me to remember that love is the strongest force, and to love regardless of a sudden lack of good judgment.

This holiday season, I challenge you to remind yourself how lucky you have been to be taught and loved by your Grandmother. If she was/is anything like mine, you're just as lucky as I am, to have coexisted in a world that has been lit with the actions of someone who cared for you despite your flaws. My guardian angel has taught me more lessons than I could even count. And I couldn't be more grateful.