Meet the Cast Monday #39: Gran (Part 4)

So today we'll wrap up a year of you all meeting the cast. You see in my blog title that my life has a superb cast. Over the last year you have met some of the cast members who mean the most to me. They are a part of me, so by getting to know them, you have been able to get to know me as well. To check out all of the interviews, click here.

If you ask me, I couldn't have picked a better way to wrap up this series. Had I somehow realized 9 1/2 years ago when I was asking these questions, I wouldn't always be able to walk next door and pick Gran's brain, I would have asked so many more things. Remember that, and don't take it for granted with the people in your life.

Okay, here we go. You guys have read about my Gran here and here and here. But I saved the best for last. If you knew Gran, you will read this and hear her come right through. I've been told several times that I remind people of her. I don't think I could get a better compliment. I think you'll see why.

What are some of the most important things you’ve learned in your life?
Oh, be honest. Well, when my husband died, I learned to cope. And I didn’t know that I’d be able to. And I’m very proud of myself for going ahead with keeping everything and raising the boys, and managing as well as I have. {Love being from a line of strong women. You've read about that before here.}

What was you say was your most significant accomplishment?
Well, I guess teaching for 30 years. I did teach, well I was home agent in Roswell, and that’s considered teaching, and that was a very good job in Chavez County and I liked it very much. Then I worked in a school lunch program, and then back in, well, when my husband was called into service during the Korean War, he was stationed in San Antonio, so I got a job teaching there, home economics, and if I hadn’t gotten that job, I wouldn’t have had the money to stay down there. So that was more experience. So then when I went back to work I taught in 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades, and I liked that much better than teaching in high school and I just really liked the kids. They were respectful and pretty honest about doing their work. What’s one thing that you never got to do that you wish you could do now?
Well, I would have taken more trips. {Think the travel bug is genetic?} Now I have a little arthritis and I don’t feel that safe traveling too much, but I should have taken more when I was younger. One place I would have liked to have gone was Australia. I always wanted to go down there, it’s such a long ways, but I’ve read many books about Australia, I’ve always wanted to go there. I like their English brogue. {Dear Gran, if could help orchestrate me meeting a really cute boy with an English brogue, that would be awesome....just a thought.}
What is the one thing that you’re the most proud of?
Learning to manage on my own. I don’t have to anymore, but I did back after my husband died and I’m just proud of the fact that I got through that. {Think independence might be genetic too?}
What have been some of the happiest moments in your life?
Oh, one was when I graduated from college. That was a long four years. And then the end of World War II, I didn’t lose many people, lost some in my senior class, but none of my family anyway. And I kinda live through my grandkids. I have 4. Two in San Angelo and two living next door, so I keep up with all their business all I can, and enjoy their achievements and awards and I’m just living good through them. {It was great having her at our events. FFA banquents, speech contests, sheep shows, homecoming courts...she was always there cheering us on. In fact, once she almost got into a fight with another grandma who was talking trash. It was a proud moment.} What’s your philosophy for life, or what advice would you give somebody for living a good life?
Well I don’t know about philosophy. I just know you need to enjoy life because it goes by very fast, and you get a good feeling doing things for other people, and as some authors say, that’s a selfish reason for doing things, because it makes you feel good, but it goes both ways. And just enjoy yourself because I’ve really had a fine life and am still enjoying it today. {Amen.}