Grandma's Hug

My Grandma Woelfel passed away almost two years ago leaving over 200 direct descendents. Grandma and Grandpa had eight daughters (no sons, mind you), 39 grandchildren (I am #18), and I don't know how many great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. Christmases at Grandma and Grandpa's little house when I was small, were loud, fun, and filled with love. Aunties were just as likely as moms to get after their nieces and nephews to play or for discipline. We were the stereotypical "one big happy family." All of us knew we could count on having Grandma's special home made chocolate cake, and getting Grandma's hugs.

Grandma was very German and she was as wide as she was tall. She was "skooshy." When you hugged Grandma, it was like hugging a great big feather pillow. There was nothing else like it in the world. Grandma's hugs were hands-down the best.

After Grandma passed away, my mom and her sisters did what needed doing...going through Grandma's things, keeping some and giving others away. My mom, among other things, ended up with some of Grandma's clothes. Because I am a plus-sized woman, mom has several times, over the past two years, asked if I would like to have some of them. Every time she asked, I politely declined. That is, until this morning. I decided that I would finally have a look at Grandma's clothes and then nicely tell my mom that I didn't want them. "Granny clothes," you know? And yes, they were "granny clothes" except I realized there was something special there that was not based on style or color. (Not that I am by any means a "fashionista," far from it in fact.)

Included in the selection was a khaki colored knit cardigan. It is nice and heavy, and I told my mom she should keep it; that she could wear it, think of Grandma, and know that she was getting a hug from her. Mom said that she had enough things of Grandma's and that I should take it if I wanted it. I gratefully accepted and draped the sweater over my arm. I could almost feel Grandma's skooshy hug as I ran my hand over the soft knitted fabric. I know that every time I wear it, I will be getting a hug from my Grandma. And that is something that I never thought I would feel again...Grandma's Hug.