Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Grandmother Amaro’s Hug

A place for you corey amaro
 

What is love? That famous question that seeks an answer, over and over again.

And yet we know what love is.

The last time I saw my Grandmother Amaro, she stood behind me and embraced me. I laughed telling her it was a funny way to be hugged good bye? She hugged me tighter, and then holding back tears told me the reason why:

"This is how my Mother embraced me when I left the Azores to come to America. When I open my arms you are facing your destiny, your future, and I'm behind you letting you go. That is love, letting others be who they are, standing behind them, and loving them all the more.

When my Grandmother opened her arms I saw what she meant.

Love unconditionally, easy to say, harder to do.

….

Thank you Ellen for reminding me.

Comments

12 responses to “Grandmother Amaro’s Hug”

  1. Kipper

    Your Grandmother Amaro was a wise and wonderful woman, so are you.

    Reply
  2. Linda P.

    Wonderful story, showing what a wonderful grandmother you had.

    Reply
  3. Jeanne

    This made me cry as I too know the heartache and how brave we must be to let go.
    I am much better at hello’s and reunions as are we all.
    God bless you all
    Love you
    Jeanne

    Reply
  4. Camy

    Tearing up again at one of your poignant posts about Sacha moving to America. I love this story about how your grandmother said goodbye to you all those years ago. Sacha will always be yours even as he embarks on this great adventure. It will change him, you, Yann and Chelsea and in the end it will all be good. Holding you all close to my heart, dearest Corey.

    Reply
  5. Kiki

    What a wonderful grandmother you had – and you’re a worthy follower in her steps!

    Reply
  6. Leigh NZ

    Oh big lump in my throat and stingy eyes X.

    Reply
  7. isabel

    <3 that got me good. thank you. prayers for you and Sacha.

    Reply
  8. JEANNE GUITTON

    C’est comme un écho à l’envol de Sacha que je fais cet échange épistolaire.
    Chaque matin de bonne heure je vais à la rencontre de vos fragments de vie.
    C’est un partage à sens unique, certes, mais je les prends chaque jour comme un cadeau ; ils sont toujours justes et c’est une surprise chaque matin !
    Ceux touchant à votre famille à Willows réunissent tant et tant que je ne mettrai aucun qualificatif… Qh non ! Ils sont nombreux et puis nous avons chacun les nôtres pour les apprécier. Mais que j’aime vous lire de Wilows, à Willows, pour Willows. Je n’oublie pas les photographies, comme aujourd’hui témoins pour l’avenir.
    Je vous souhaite un jour de les réunir et de publier votre parcours comme un grand écart renouvelé sur deux continents. The roots en anglais n’est-ce pas ? Votre fils retourne sur des terres familières et nécessaires à sa croissance.
    Mais devons-nous tout expliquer, tout comprendre ? Est-ce pour nous rassurer, combler le vide ? En tout cas la réflexion prend une place importante dans le soin de la douleur. En réponse à celle-ci, aiguë, vive et pénétrante, l’acceptation prend du temps même si notre conscience connait la réponse, car dans notre corps et plus encore notre cœur et notre âme subsistent traces et souvenirs. Où situer notre inconscient ? Dans le cas de la maternité et de ses effets secondaires nous pouvons lutter contre un héritage invisible ou bien transmettre à partir de cette source, une incroyable énergie.
    Accepter et accompagner n’empêcheront pas de ressentir des déclinaisons de la douleur, mais avec le temps ces mots feront sens. Jour après jour et puis sans s’en apercevoir notre rythme et notre respiration seront calmes, sereins et une respiration consciente, longue et profonde ne sera plus la même.
    Avec le temps, pourrez-vous peut-être, partager le sens de Votre Histoire dans laquelle la LIBERTE D’ETRE, semble à la fois vous réunir et vous séparer. Mais Toujours ENSEMBLE.

    Reply
  9. Jan DM

    Oh, Corey. Your memory of your grandmother’s hug reminds me of the one, just one, picture I have of my mom and me in tender embrace. In my picture, however, I am the one hugging my mom from behind. She was a tinier woman than I. You can just make out the tears in my eyes because, as I hugged my little mum, I knew I was losing her to dementia and my love for her was/is so strong. I framed that picture long before my mother died and it sits in my office at school. A colleague once told me how much I would come to appreciate that photo. At the time, I just nodded. Every time I look at that photo of my little mum and me, I remember her words and my heart is full. Thank you for your beautiful memory.

    Reply
  10. KAMFreeman

    another touch the heart deeply piece of your beautiful book of family stories. Sacha stirs the memory to bring to your view all the little pieces of strength and love that came around you so long ago as you moved to France…and now you can pass on that strength and deep love as Sacha spreads his wings and truly flies.
    than you…my morning is filled with goodness

    Reply
  11. Barbara

    Wish I’d had such a grandmother. When I left England at age twenty to work in the Bahamas my mother said “why do you have to leave? Millions of girls never leave England”. To which I replied ” but I don’t want to be one of the millions”. My father said “Go, Ba – you see it all, I wish I had”. From the Bahamas I came to Canada and only returned twice in 15 years to the UK. There was so much else to see!
    However I have also seen the reverse side of that coin as my own daughter at age 26 left Canada to live in London. I was able to say “Have a wonderful time. Go see it all as I did”.

    Reply
  12. Rebecca from the pacific northwest

    I remember this story from sometime before. Reading it now and knowing a few of the big changes that you’ll be facing soon — ” facing your destiny, your [next portion of your] future” — made me tear up a little today, rereading this. xox.

    Reply

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