Grandmothers

Today we got to have lunch with my fiance's grandmother. She lives very close by. She grew up in Iowa during the great depression. She worked as a telephone switchboard operator and met her husband that way. She is a very sweet lady and full of knowledge, kindness, and interesting stories. She is a dog and animal-lover and has a very excitable dog named "Bandie".

My nani (mom's mom) loves religion and philosophy. She is an ardent adherent to ayurvedic principles. She grows her own herbs, like aloe vera, in her yard, and knows the properties and benefits of each. She practices yoga daily and is a complete vegetarian (rare for a Panjabi). She always remembers everyone's birthdays and calls and send cards. Whenever I speak to her, she always has kind and optimistic things to say. I wish I knew her better, but unfortunately, I cannot understand all of what she says, because she speaks very proper Hindi.

My barimomi (dad's mom) is a character unto herself! She grew up in a very conservative area where many girls were not encouraged to pursue educations. She was determined to get an education though. At that time there was the partition (where she was on the 'wrong' side of the partition line), so when she went to school, she did not know whether she'd make it back alive. She graduated with the highest degree and with the highest marks in theology from the University of Lahore and got engaged to my grandpa in Pakistan. Then they left for India and got married there. My grandma has strong opinions and is one of the most intelligent people I know. She also has a great sense of humor, pathos, and is a great story-teller. She smiles rarely, but her smile is beautiful. I love watching my grandparents bickering. In spite of what they claim, they definitely love each other a lot.

I didn't know my fiance's dad's mom very well. She had been diagnosed with terminal cancer by the time I first met her, and I didn't know her for very long. Nonetheless, she always had a lovely smile and friendly hello for me whenever I saw her. My fiance and his parents miss her very much and tell me a lot about her.

All my grandmothers have very different personalities, and they are all very big blessings in my life!