Thank You Grandma

for teaching me how to live with others

as “one another,”

Thank you, Grandma, for teaching me

Yoruba, answering my 

questions that I 

decide to ask while 

you were sleeping, like “Grandma, what is 2+2?”
Thank You, Grandma,

for teaching me that you are helping

Us prepare for 

Tomorrow.

Thank you for forgiving me

for the accidental slamming of

the microwave, kitchen trash, the fridge, and freezers,

pantry cupboard doors, the

spice cabinet above the stove, and

nearly everything in the house,

that has a door and can be shut.

Thank You, Grandma, for playing along with O’Ryan

And me whenever we call you

“Gam-Gam” and responding as

“Grandson-grandson.”

Thank you for all

 the fun laughs of calling

“SpongeBob” “Spongeoun-Box”

but Please…. DON’T stop.

Thank you for teaching

That we should always

Be T-R-U-E TRUE.

Thank you for always cheering

me up, when you 

Don’t mean to, like when I

 came home from 4th grade crying.

Thank you for tickling

Olivia, O’Ryan, and me

whenever we’re sad,

and for reminding us 

to be a child of God

ranks above all else

in the world.

Thank you for inviting

us to all of your church programs,

 Exposing us to

your beautifully amazing voice.

Thank you for teaching us

 discipline when we

 need it,

 and for the Bible 

“Meetings” that would

 often take place on

 Tuesday’s in the living room,

 while we sat on the beige couch,

 And teaching the Olusanya 

Grandchildren that it’s okay

 if the world mocks and spits

 at us for doing what’s right.

 God even tells us that the pain

 of Jesus isn’t easy,

 and you can’t take the easy 

road out, but the narrow pathways

and difficult pathways to life eternal.

Thank you for having us memorize 

Psalm 23:6, and helping me know that

“Surely God’s goodness and mercy

 Shall follow us all the days of our lives,

 And we shall dwell in the house of the Lord

 Forever and ever, Amen.”

 

Victoria is a student at St. Patrick’s School in Rolla, Missouri. This is her first publication.