My Great Grandmother | Teen Ink

My Great Grandmother

November 9, 2020
By Anonymous

She's had many hardships in her life and through thick and thin, she is still alive today at 103 years old. Her golden, yellow dyed hair is still there, and dark skin and sunspots all over from the Florida sun she's been in for too long. She has crystal blue eyes that light up the room. She still stands tall with her classy and stylish outfits, that she will put on till the day she dies. She is frail and strong minded. Her makeup hides her wrinkles, and she has scars from years of experiences she refuses to speak about or reflect on.
My Grandmother isn't the person you'd get along with right away. She's judgemental at times, not undertsanding, seeks for attention, and expects everyone to bow down to her and live at her standards. When my mom first met her, she said to her face that she was too short for my dad. Ever since then my mom and her haven't gotten along. Whenever we get to see her she makes us kiss her on the cheek and sit with good posture at family dinners. She always has a straight face and something to say. The best advice she's given me is “​“Don't let what someone else wants eclipse what you need. The person may seem dreamy, but that person is not the sun. You are.”​ She's tough at first, but when you get to know her she's kind and always generous. She loves her grandchildren and great grandchildren very much and would do anything for her family.
She grew up in Rhina, Germany. She had a pleasant childhood, growing up on a bucolic farm along with her sister and two brothers. Then Hitler came to power and ended it all. Her life changed immeasurably. She had to work hard to bring her family to America, learn a new language and assimilate into a new culture. She was a maid by day while single handedly learning English by night. Later on, she got married and lived her life to the fullest, always seeking potential and success. She retired from her job in New York to go live in Florida. Both

her Husband and her boyfriend who she loved dearly died, and she spent time grieving from both of their losses. She has more surgeries than anyone could count, yet survived them all. She's an inspiration and a survivor.
My grandmother is the matriarch of my family. She always made sure she had enough money to support herself and her family, and was very luxurious. It is because growing up she didn't have much and the thought of losing it all scares her. She always carries her Chanel perfume that makes her smell like fresh daisies and sweet citrus. It's her go-to and now it's mine. She is always on the go, traveling or shopping. Her zodiac sign is a gemini and she gets mad every time I tell her how much of a gemini she is. My favorite thing is her baking. She makes this fantastic cheesecake for me and my cousins, that's to die for. Her apartment is filled with pictures of everyone she loves, and memories so she wont forget the times she had and sacrificed so much for to earn. She's taught me to always keep my head held high in life and to never give up when things seem tough. She is an exceptional and intelligent woman who makes family history truly come alive.


The author's comments:

It was a character sketch I did in English Class and had fun writing about-Jordan Wacksman 


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