"God grant us the patience
to change the men we can,
the aim to shoot the men we can't,
and the wisdom to know the difference."

We got this greeting card in at the shop a few months ago... I had picked it out, thinking it was funny and it reminded me of Great Aunt Tickie. I never sent it to her, but always get a chuckle out of it, whenever I see it and think of her.

We lost Tickie about a week ago now, and though we never had much opportunity to spend time with her (her being in Longview, Texas and not able to travel all that well herself) we will all feel a void for some time. There have been many of my older relatives, I've wished we'd lived closer to, and she is no exception.

Full of stories, ready to share... I could listen to her for hours. She was alive in the early 1900s. Raised in rural Arkansas. Forget life without microwaves, they had life before refrigerators!! She was one of three girls raised by their 'Papa' and grandmother, after their parents divorced. She herself had married and divorced, at least three (?) times... twice to the same man (I believe he was the alpha and omega). And we hadn't heard until just several years ago, that she had shot at an ex-husband who threatened to come back and get some things from the house.

She overcame a lot in her life, but it was not always easy. She cared for their Papa once he was placed in a nursing home. She lost one younger sister suddenly at a very young age (she believed her to be shot by her own husband while overseas). And the other younger sister (my grandmother) very slowly over the last 12 years to Alzheimer's. Both quite tragic and heartbreaking in their own right.

In recent years, she could hardly support herself and often fell, breaking bones and spirit. But, you never heard her complain. She was a very strong woman, in every way. Overcoming any challenges life may have thrown at her. She was a great cook; could prepare enough food for the army to feast on at any given time. She did her best to answer any correspondence that ever came her way. And, as I said before, could tell stories for hours about life as it'd been through her eyes.

We love Aunt Tickie and we'll miss her terribly. For the amazing person she was and the link she'd been since losing Grandma Mary. But, maybe now, they can be together again and enjoy each other's company for eternity (if arguing is allowed in heaven... as I can't imagine them as happy any other way). :)