Life Lessons My 90-Year-Old Grandmother Taught Me

My 90-year-old grandmother (on my mom’s side) is one of the people who inspire me most with her strong personality and all. I value her opinions dearly and I also value her advice. Over the years, she has taught me innumerable lessons through her words and example. I’m lucky enough to still have this wonderful woman to call my grandmother and she is so special to me in different ways.

Check out these wonderful “life lessons” I learned from my wonderful grandmother. And be sure to share with me what your grandmother has taught you in the comments section below!

Education is the great equalizer.

My grandmother lived through the colonial era, where women in Morocco back at that time were banned from education and all. It was taboo for women to take part at anything in society except getting married, have up to fourteen children maximum and take care of the house. She is currently 90 years old but she always remembers the day her elder brother caught her hidden in a room with a book and a pen learning French. He took everything and threw it away. This has never broken her but she kept her head high. She learned traditional handicraft like anything related to the Moroccan's traditional attire for women (Djellaba, Caftan, and Tekchita). When she got married to my grandfather who used to be a soldier, they decided to help each other and managed to send all eight of their children to school. She has always emphasized that education is the great equalizer of those who have nothing and those who have everything, of both women and men.

Be direct.

If you have a problem with someone face him/her before it's too late. Let others take you as you are, or not at all. Speak your truth even if your voice shakes. By being yourself, you put something beautiful into the world that was not there before. So walk your path confidently and don’t expect anyone else to understand your journey, especially if they have not been exactly where you are going.

Let Go.

Allow yourself the prospect of being happy again. Better things are coming. Thus, keep that head up!

Family Comes First.

No matter what the circumstances are, your family has to come first. Family means so much to my grandma. Her house was and still always like a central station for all of our family gatherings.

Holidays mean everyone getting together and going to grandma’s house. We’d all hang around, teasing, laughing, telling old stories--it's always the best time! When my eldest sister and I were still children, all of the “kids” (my cousins, my sister, and myself) would sneak into the kitchen to steal the biscuits, the chocolates and the cookies she used to make for tea time until she came in and punish us all; one by one. But at the end of the day, we'd all scatter and laugh.

Be Grateful.

Be grateful for whatever you have, even if you have only tea and bread for dinner. I always remember the times when all of my cousins, my eldest sister and I gather at our grandma's and how much we would complain about having lentil or beans for lunch. Grandma will keep listening to us complaining with nonstop but by the end when we will finish the talk. This lentil or beans' plate will turn out as a moral and as the most delicious meal we ever had.

Manners.

Your manners are your mirror. Never say mean words out of anger. Your anger will pass, but your mean words can scar a person for life. So use kind words or be silent.

Keep It All to Yourself.

Once you've done a good deed, move on. Don't think or speak about it. Don't seek attention or recognition. Your rewards will come.

Be Helpful.

When you find yourself in a position to help someone, be happy because Allah is answering that person's prayer through you.

Tradition.

Never let your traditions down. They are a reflection of your identity.

Love.

Her love for my grandpa is still Alhamdulillah! He died when my mom was 11 years old. There are many times when my eldest sister and I heard our dear grandma praying for our grandpa in the middle of the night saying: ' Ya Allah please (...) my beloved husband' That's lovely Ma Sha Allah! Thanks for letting me share these little reflections with you. This post is for my grandmother – the strongest and most inspiring woman I know. I couldn’t have asked for a wonderful cheerleader in my life than my grandmother. She still listens eagerly to all of my latest projects and she is always encouraging, she can't stop telling me how proud she is of me.

I’d ask that you please keep her in your prayers, and I thank you so much for reading.