Gramma by Milissa Jo McGavin

Appalachia Bare is once again proud and honored to feature the Write the World contest winners for poetry, fiction and nonfiction, hosted by East Tennessee’s Pellissippi State Community College! The contest centers on an international-focused theme or topic.

Today, Appalachia Bare honors 2024 Write the World nonfiction winner, Milissa McGavin, for her beautifully written homage to her grandmother entitled “Gramma.” 

We offer our heartfelt congratulations to these talented young writers!

Preface

When I imagine humanity from a global perspective, my vision at first is very broad. It feels unfamiliar and distant. Certain pictures and words come to me, and as they do, my vision becomes keener, and my vantage point draws nearer and nearer. Word phrases such as “melting pot” cause me to visualize a diversity of many coming together as one. I think of the word “culture” and that pulls my vision closer still as I consider the many different cultures that exist. A picture of a majestically ancient tree comes to mind, and I am reminded of the familial constructs that undergird those cultures. Just as a tree has different members that make up the whole, so too does a family. When I consider the different members of that ancient tree and the different members which make up a family, I am drawn to their roots systems. A tree’s root system exists to nourish and stabilize the whole, and it is the oldest member of the tree. Grandparents are the members of a family who have rich history and wisdom. They stabilize their families and are held in revere for their resilience and life experience. They are honored for their legacy. Grandparents are the bearers who watch over the stories of their ancestors. Without them there would be no family construct born, no culture to honor, and no society to speak of. Their role is invaluable. They give their life until there is nothing left to give.

My grandmother is the most influential person in my life. She taught me to love books and to explore myself through writing from a very young age. My favorite book that she read to me as a child is The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Her role in my life has offered me support, a place of rest and security, and a source of inspiration and creativity. She has nurtured me with all that she is, and I honor her.

“Gramma”

I adored my grandmother and often times spent the night at her house as a child. We would spend our evenings clad in flannel nightgowns while eating popcorn and chit-chatting. Most times she would be knitting a blanket for one family member or another. The lure of my coloring books captured my imagination, and before I knew it bedtime would roll around. I watched as my grandmother who was dressed in her zip-up robe made her way to the bathroom. She stood there looking into the mirror. She didn’t know that I was absorbing every tiny detail. She opened the bathroom drawer which held alluring treasures of my adolescent desire. Her hairbrush and hair pins sat neatly in organized fashion alongside the little bit of makeup and creams that she used to adorn her already stunning face. I watched her pin her hair back away from her face and lean into the sink to wash. It was a wonder to me that she was able to manage such a task without creating the mess that I would if I were to try the same. She patted her face dry and began the moisturizing regimen. Soon enough, she would complete her process of self-care and we would make our way to the spare bedroom—my safe place.

As was customary, she would have already prepared the ambiance of that sacred space by turning the white night lamp on and folding the blankets down on the bed. The comforting glow of low light welcomed me in and I would nestle down into the covers while she flitted around the room drawing shades and making the room more snug. Always it was the same process. I found the sameness comforting. I knew the next question she would ask me would be which book I wanted to feast on to settle my mind. Though I admired her generous book collection, there was one prized favorite. She looked at me knowingly. I smiled gently, feeling the connection of our likeminded interchange. She would turn to the secretary bookcase and open the glass door accessing a prolific banquet of words tucked between covers of their own. I felt my heart begin to flutter with anticipation as the hunger pains of my imagination announced their presence. Ahhh yes, Gramma was my favorite person on the entire planet. She knew me before I ever had to say a word. How pleasant and rare it is to be so known. Though she knew which book I would choose, she always waited for my request. After a slight internal interchange of feeling guilty for favoring one book over all others, I would declare my steadfast choice. My favorite book was The Giving Tree. Carefully, she brought the book into her hands and began to turn the pages. Gramma was an animated reader. She felt the words as I did. The story would inevitably make my eyes wet and my heart sore with the intensity of its message. Love has no end. I stared at my Gramma wondering over the fate of our lifetime, trying to figure out at what point we were living in with regards to the storyline. I would say at that time my Gramma was the tree, and I was swinging in her branches. It was difficult for me to imagine myself at any other stage of life with her. The tree was happy, and so was I.

Milissa Jo McGavin has been writing her heart out on paper ever since she was a young girl. Her grandmother has been the most influential person in her life. Her father has also been an enormous source of encouragement and support toward her goals of writing. Milissa Jo is married to a wonderful man and has five smart and imaginative children. During warmer seasons she enjoys kayaking with her four legged friend, Byrdie. When winter comes around and everything is wrapped in its cloak, she enjoys reading and dabbling in various crafts to keep her creativity from going into hibernation. Her happy place is outside, whether that be in the mountains of Tennessee or on the beaches of the southern panhandle. Milissa Jo is pursuing a degree in writing. Her long-time dream is to write a book that will touch the hearts of its readers.

**Featured image by u_4zkdad0j79 from Pixabay