Dear Atria,
Every Tuesday I smile to myself and I remember Omeh, my Grandma and your Great-grandma. She was a wonderful woman who raised her children single-handed, provided them education and good feature by working very hard and dedicating her whole life to this task. She was strong, determined and very proud, but in the same time very loving and soft. I loved her very much and I think I had a special bond with her.
She passed away about 5 years ago. I went to Iran to see her at that time hoping to help with her recovery, but unfortunately she has never recovered. God bless her soul...
So, why do I think of Omeh every Tuesday? There is a story behind it. Almost 52 years ago I was born prematurely; this means - too early. Normal pregnancy takes 9 months and all this time is needed for the baby to develop properly in mum’s belly, so when the baby is born it can breath on its own, is able to eat milk and is able to survive outside mum’s belly.
I was born during the seventh month of my Mum’s pregnancy and I was not prepared to face the outside world. I was very tiny and I couldn’t breath nor properly. My Mum and Omeh were telling me that they were feeding me with milk with the syringe; I was that tiny. I was put in the hospital in the incubator. Incubator is a special ‘box’ designed for prematurely born babies that provides environment for their growth and development, a bit like in mum’s belly. My little life was in danger and the doctors were not sure if I will be able to survive.
So at that time every day Omeh was praying for my recovery. Every day she also lit a candle in my intention. I survived. Omeh continued thanking God for my recovery and praying for me for the rest of her life and every Tuesday, no matter where she was, she lit a candle in my intention. She never missed a single Tuesday for almost 47 years.
When Omeh passed away Anna said that she wants to continue this tradition and she will lit a candle in my intention and in Omeh’s memory every Tuesday and she has been doing it since, almost for 5 years now. She missed 1 Tuesday so far, she just forgot once, but then as soon as she remembered she lit a candle next day. My memory is not as good these days, so I would have probably not remembered most of the time if it was me.
Today, like almost every Tuesday, Anna called me in the morning before going to work to say ‘hello’ and check on me and reported that the candle is burning in her house. I straight away remember Omeh, her humble, generous and loving nature. I smile when I think of her and I am very grateful she was my Grandma. I am really happy that Anna continues Omeh’s Tuesdays’ candle tradition as it keeps Omeh’s memory alive in my heart and continuously reminds me of her every week.
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