'Well behaved women rarely make history'

In memory of my Nanna.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said,

“Well-behaved women rarely make history.”

And that was my Nanna,

in a nutshell.

Her opinions were loud,

her thoughts were bold,

her stories full of noise,

her love fierce,

and never cold.

She was the matriarch of the family,

the leader of the pack,

no one ever left behind—

she always had your back.

She loved both fiercely and quietly,

in the smallest, clever ways:

slipping money into your hand

“just because,” she’d say.

Your favourite meal on any night,

a cake because you’d earned it,

love was never loud with her—

but you always, always learned it.

She was up for a laugh,

a dance, or a sing,

a lover of swear words,

mischief, and play.

A sharer of stories,

knowledge and more—

there wasn’t much

she didn’t know anyway.

I carry so many memories,

just my Nanna and me:

holidays away,

paddling out in the sea,

cosy on the sofa, Eggheads on TV,

homemade chips,

and the best kind of tea.

It feels strange to say goodbye

to a partner in crime—

a mischief-maker,

a comfort-creator,

a storyteller,

a love-sharer,

one of a kind.

So for now I’ll say,

love you, see you soon,

be good.

And don’t do anything

I wouldn’t do—

unless you get the chance…

then go for it.