Teachings from my Grandmother

by loveandothercrap

I normally do not notice the Daily Prompts that show up on my reader; however, this one caught my eye. The subject is about objects, and this past week, with my mind on my grandparents, I have thought about many different things that I remember about them.

Before my grandmother passed away, she and my grandfather lived in this beautiful, giant house that had many different rooms. Since I was only four years old when she passed, I do not remember a lot about the rooms or house, expect for the magical doll room. As a four year old girl, this room was the best room I ever seen in my entire life. It had some of the most wonderful dolls stored there. At least, in my mind, I considered them beautiful. Later on, my mother told me they were antique dolls that she thought were quite ugly; she said you had to have an eye for those type of dolls. I didn’t care though. To me, they were baby dolls and baby dolls needed loving.

I remember visiting their house and begging my grandmother to bring me into that room. Looking back, she must have bought some dolls that she considered were safe for me to play with because I was only allowed to touch certain ones. I remember one of my favorites was a smaller doll, with blue eyes, golden hair, and a pink fluffy dress. I think I played with that doll the most compared to the other dolls I was allowed to play with.

My grandmother and I would sit down at a table in the room. Normally I handed one of the few dolls to her and told her that was her baby. My grandmother played along with the idea of it, giving her designed doll a new name each time I was there. I was always amazed by the names she choose for these dolls. They were “proper” names, names you could find fit for the Queen of England. They were never named Krissy, like I tend to choose, but things like Emily or Elizabeth or Margaret.

After a while, I realized she would bathe this doll with only the kind of love a grandmother could give. Tenderly brushing her dolls hair. Fixing the dolls dress so it sit just right. I tried to mimic my grandmother’s every moves. I treated these dolls a lot better than the Cabbage Patch Kids I had at home, that’s for sure. My favorite doll had two or three dresses that she was allowed to change into, and my grandmother showed me how to do it gently and carefully. All during this time, she would sing a pretty little song about beautiful little girls, sunny weather, and butterflies in spring.

After all the dolls were dressed and brushed, I set up a tea party using a small, metal tea set that my grandmother had in the room. I carefully poured the pretend tea into each cup, and my grandmother, the dolls, and I had a dainty little tea party. We talked about things I thought only grown-up people talked about at tea parties, but thinking back, I was probably just talking mumbo jumbo. Either way, my grandmother delighted me with keeping up with the convo.

Looking back now, I realize that my grandmother was a great lady. She may have been considered “snooty” and “proper” by others, but in a way, she taught me how to be gentle and kind to others, through the use of these dolls. I learned to respect objects around me and learned how to throw an amazing tea party. I also still find myself singing that song to my daughter while I get her dressed for the day.

I wish I was allowed to keep one of those dolls after my grandmother passed, however when my grandfather sold his house, he included all the dolls in the estate sale. I was able to keep the tea set we used, which I still have to this day sitting in my mother’s basement until my daughter is old enough to have grand tea parties with her grandmother.

I do miss my grandmother. It’s been over 20 years now since her passing, but I like to think she is sitting nearby, doll in hand, watching over me.