Grandma's Jar Poem by Jim Yerman

When our grandma died as a family we were heartbroken, confused…and sad
to understand how to act…we looked to our mom and dad.

It's never easy to say goodbye…so many feelings get in the way
We search through our emotions for soothing words to say.

Mom and Dad said Grandma was important to all of us…
how we all loved her smile, her warmth her glow…
They told us the fact we shared so much love with her…
is what makes her death hurt so…

It's all the wonderful memories we made with her they said
that's makes her death unfair….
all the good times we had leave us saddened
for all the good times we'll no longer share…

The places we'll never visit with her…the happiness she'll no longer bring
The cookies she'll no longer bake…the songs she'll no longer sing…

Then Emma, the oldest daughter, said, we will miss her I'm sure this is true
but won't Grandma, once she gets up to heaven…won't she be missing us too?

This is when Mom and Dad got an idea…they ran to the kitchen, opened a drawer
when they returned they set it in front of us…what would become known as Grandma's jar.

They handed us some paper and pencils and said, "Write down what Grandma meant to you."
We'll put all your writings in this jar…so Grandma can remember them too.

"But how will she read it from heaven? " Emma asked.
Dad said, "Emma, at the end of the day
your grandma is pretty resourceful…
I'm sure she will find a way".

"And we will leave this jar unopened, " Mom said,
"so whenever something happens you'd like to share
just drop a note into the jar…Grandma will take if from there."

And we wrote notes to Grandma from that moment on
until the time came we were all grown
At that point as we left our house we were given a jar of our own…

I like to think Grandma is always watching…
but if she's too busy up there among the stars…
If she wants to know what I've been up too…
all she has to do is look in her jar.