Linda Robichaux Babin

Once again, life has reminded me that it will take twists and turns at unexpected times. As I was gearing up for my trip to Beijing this week, I got the phone call Thursday evening that my last grandparent had passed away. She was my mom's mother, Linda, and we called her Maw Ma (go ahead and chuckle, but we are from the country!). She was 84 years old, was one of 9 children, had 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren, . . . and had Alzheimer's Disease.

I was on deployment to Okinawa, Japan in the early 90s when my first grandparent passed away. I didn't really have the choice to go home, so now that I do have that choice, I flew home on Saturday morning to be with my family. It's funny how when I was younger, I couldn't understand why people went home for funerals anyway. The deceased is deceased, so I thought that going home was only for my conscious and nothing else. Since buying a home in Colorado (2004), I've lost my 3 remaining grandparents. Now I understand that it's partly for me, partly for my parents, but mostly for the collective conscious of the whole family. There's something about everyone coming together that truly makes the passing of a family member feel like a celebration of a life. Perhaps I can say that because my grandparents lived long, happy lives filled with kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. Cajuns will always commerate a life event with food, so in true South Louisiana style, we had a bar-b-que and reminisced, surrounded by friends and family.

Although it's a sad occassion that my grandmother is gone physically, it's a relief to most of the family to know that she will no longer be in pain or so profoundly confused anymore. My mom asked me if I'd like to do a reading at the funeral (Catholic), but I said I'd be more comfortable being a palbearer. My aunt and uncle agreed that Maw Ma would've loved the idea, so I took my place alongside my brother and cousins and laid her into her final resting place.

I hope this post doesn't seem awkward in the midst of the others, but I wanted to commerate my grandmother's life by acknowledging this passing of a truly sincere, loving, and downright fun woman from our lives. She used to love to hear about my travels, so it's only fitting that my next post will be from Beijing (I fly out in the morning). Until then, if you're geographically close enough to visit a grandparent, don't wait another day. If distance keeps you apart, don't let the telephone sit silent another minute!