Grandmabuela

 The bible says “grandchildren are the crown of the aged...” (Proverbs 17:6, ESV). In many cultures grandparents are revered for the wisdom they have collected over the years. Once upon a time to be a grandparent meant to have the respect of your community and the honor of passing on knowledge of ancestry to the younger generation through storytelling and songs. In some respects our society has lost some of the reverence and appreciation we once held for the seniors among us. We have traded the tales and lessons learned from our grandparents for updates on Wikipedia and the top 10 Google search results. Now please don’t confuse a penchant for a simpler age with a resentment of technology. Tech is an amazing resource; because of tech we have been able to reach hundreds of people with the amazing testimony of our special angel here on earth. And yet even with the words and the pictures presented clearly across the digital divide we have heard countless people say that there is nothing like seeing Ella in person. No, this is not an indictment of technology; rather this is a celebration of someone who reminds us that even as technology progresses on, the lessons of the past are just as valuable today as they were when she was learning them for the first time. Allow us to use technology to acknowledge a true grandparent, Ariella’s Grandmabuela (Grandma and Abuela combined), Aileen Rivera.

To say that Aileen has endured much over the course of her time on this earth would be like saying black people in the Jim Crow south had a tough time. Aileen has endured a great deal of loss, pain, disappointment and regret, but to know her is to know a woman with a wicked sense of humor, an opinion for everything and a really big heart, a heart that she guards with her life because it has been broken too many times before.  However, when Grandabuela met her granddaughter for the first time all the fortification around her heart came crumbling down. Immediately Ella knew her Grandmabuela and Grandmabulea loved her grandchild unconditionally with her whole heart.

Unconditional love - in Greek the word is agape. In the oft quoted bible verse John 3:16 “For God so loved the world…” (KJV) the word for love there is agape. Because God loved us unconditionally He gave His son so we could have life. Grandmabuela has agape for Ariella. Because Grandmabuela loved Ariella without condition she did not hesitate to give up her independence, the comforts of her home and her city to move into a 10’ x 8’ hospital room so that Ariella would not be alone and her parents could continue to work. That is what love does. It does what needs to be done and it doesn’t ask questions. And furthermore she does it with a smile. Grandmabuela loves to be by her grandchild’s side every day and Ariella loves that her Grandmabuela is there.

We are people of faith and as a result we work very hard to see God’s hand in all that happens. Some days are harder than others, but somethings are blatant. Almost four years ago Aileen was forced into early retirement at a time when she had no desire to stop working. That early retirement set her on a path that has allowed her to be by her granddaughter’s side for the vast majority of her hospitalization. Even before now, Grandmabuela supported Rachel through much of her maternity leave at home, through countless doctor's visits and therapy sessions. It is not certain how we would have made this work if Grandmabuela was not in the position to love and support our baby the way she is able. I cannot say for certain what we would have done, what I can say is that Aileen has made our lives exponentially more manageable.

Thank you Grandmabuela for honoring the grandparents of yesteryear and reminding us of how invaluable good grandparents are. Thank you for loving Charles, IV and not marginalizing him in all of this, but loving him all the more. Thank you for encouraging your children to spend more time together, to ensure our marriage is healthy and strong. Thank you for investing in us, both your finances as well as your time. We will never be able to give back to you what you have poured into us. Thank you for letting me be “your boy”. I know I am not him, but I hope me is enough. Thank you for being strong for your daughter at a time when a little girl needs her mommy the most. Thank you for your agape Grandmabuela. We pray God’s peace over you, let the pain of the past be the rain in your present that brings forth a mighty harvest of joy, peace and love in your future.

Thank you Grandmabuela

We Love You