Remembering Our Grandma: A Reflection on Grief and Mourning

Happy heavenly birthday to our beloved Grandma. Though I know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8), there are still moments when I feel the ache of her absence deeply.

This past weekend, I learned something that shifted my understanding: there’s a difference between grieving and mourning. Grieving is the internal sorrow we carry — that quiet ache in our hearts. Mourning, however, is the outward expression of that grief, the way we allow ourselves to process and share the sorrow with others.

Ecclesiastes 3:4 reminds us that there is “a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” God, in His infinite wisdom, knows that mourning is part of the healing process. Mourning allows us to honor the love we shared and acknowledge the loss while finding comfort in the presence of family, friends, and ultimately, the Lord.

I write this as tears stream down my face, a testament to the love and gratitude I hold for our grandma. I find myself doing both — grieving quietly in those tender moments when I miss her smile, her wisdom, and the way she loved us all so well, and mourning outwardly by sharing these thoughts with you, my family, who loved her just as much as I did.

Grandma’s life was a testament to love, faith, and resilience. Her prayers, her laughter, and her presence shaped who we are today. While grief may linger in our hearts, I choose to honor her by living in the joy and love she always encouraged.

Psalm 30:11 speaks so beautifully of God’s promise: “You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” I know that God is turning our mourning into joy, even as we carry her memory forward.

Today, on her heavenly birthday, I celebrate her life, her legacy, and the love she left with us. I encourage us all to lean on one another and on God, knowing that while we grieve, we are never without hope.

To my family — let us share the stories, the laughter, and the lessons she taught us. Let us mourn, but let us also dance in the joy of knowing she is resting in the arms of the Lord.

With love and faith.