My maternal Grandmother’s name was B.  Actually it was her middle initial and she was only given a middle initial.  She really disliked her first name, which is a great name and one that became very popular a few years ago.  I won’t mention it here out of respect, she really disliked it that much.

Grandmother B was feisty and spirited and also incredibly energetic, giving and kind.  She was nothing short of a dynamo.  She kept a vigorous fitness routine well into her early nineties.  My friends would often comment when we were in our twenties that “we did not work out nearly as much as your Grandmother”.  She made friends wherever she went.

Grandmother B was living a retirement community near my parents when a childhood friend’s Grandmother Roz moved in.  Grandmother B had only known my friend and had never met Roz.  My friend mentioned that Roz had just moved across the country to this same place after losing her husband and was having a hard time.  I mentioned it casually to my Grandmother and she tracked Roz down by waiting in the lobby for Roz to come back from a trip shopping and introduced herself.  They became besties.  It was so inspiring to see them build this great friendship so late in life when most people are set in their ways.

Grandmother B died the day before her 100th birthday almost five years ago.  The whole family was in town for her party.  She lived her life to the fullest and with gusto until the very end.

Whenever I see something with a bee on it, I want to buy it for her.  She had all sorts of bee sweaters and shirts.  So when I saw this at J.Crew, I had to have it.  It is also a bonus that it is about “BEE the change” and fifty percent of the retail cost will go to saving the bees.  More on that here.

T-shirt / Regent Blazer (similar here) / J. Crew Jeans (similar here) / J. Crew Sandals (similar here)

The night before I saw the t-shirt I had an intention bracelet made with “BE ME”.  “BE ME” sounds so simple, but it is what I am working on.  J.Crew has a crewcuts version for this collection that says “Let me bee”. If we all bring our true selves to things, magic happens.  Grandmother B was very authentic and said what she meant and meant what she said (and did not always filter).  She also really did not care what others thought of her, she had fun.  She lived to be 100 years old, so there must be something to it.

Here’s to bee-ing ourselves.

XO,

 

JAE