I miss Grandma at Christmas ...

She was the one reason that everyone came together and endured each other's differences and dammit, whether we admitted it or not, we enjoyed it. It's kind of nice to come together with the people that you usually don't see eye to eye with. Share some laughter, food, gifts. Remind each other that no matter the differences, we are still a family and we will always be there to look out for each other. Grandma didn't care that you fought with your brother last month and still haven't talked; she just wanted you to be there. Grandma was a uniter. She could find common ground between the deer hunter(my dad) and the card carrying PETA member(me in my early 20's) and she often did. Grandma was ultimately a socialist with her radical ideas like instead of one person cooking the whole Christmas Dinner, let’s all bring a dish, that way everyone contributes and no one gets too wore-out from cooking all day. Revolutionary. She was amazing. When someone was out of work, it was Grandma who suggested that we put a lower spending limit on the gift exchange, just until the economy picked up...always looking out for those who did not or would not speak up for themselves.
As we embark on this Super Tuesday I am reminded of Grandma and that feeling of unity that she spread. I don't know how the nominations will turn out, but I sure hope that the rest of America is like me, missing that feeling of connectedness to the rest of our family, no matter the differences, and looking for that Grandma to unite us. We've had enough division, don't you think?