My Nana was a special woman. She was one of the most direct and outspoken people I have ever met. As a teenager I spent 3 weeks with her, travelling to see her family around the country. She spoke her mind, my Nana, and it was a bit of an adjustment for a shy 16 year old girl. It took most of the trip for me to realize that Nana's heart was in fact so big that she couldn't hold back from speaking up. She was always generous with saying "I love you" and that gave me the confidence to speak up too. She was surprised by my newfound voice but she adjusted quickly; I told her what I thought too, and she seemed to look at me with respect. I learned from my Nana that you shouldn't fear to speak your mind, and also that family is a place where love remains constant, no matter what. She was a good role model for me at an age when I was finding my way into adulthood and discovering who I wanted to be. I am so sad that she is gone, but happy that we had so much time together and that she lived a long life on her terms. She was "larger than life." Goodbye Nana. Love you too xxoo
