23 • Monster

Monster

The game Stefanie wanted to play with Yiayia today was called Monster. She would growl at Yiayia, and say "I'm a monster! I'm a monster!"--then tickle Yiayia with her little fingers. But that wasn't enough. Next, Yiayia had to be the monster. Stefanie had her 84-year-old great grandmother chasing her around the dining room, laughing "Monstah, monstah" in her sweet Greek accent. Stefanie's giggles and laughter were all the motivation Yiayia needed to sneak around the back way and surprise Stefanie as she came flying out of the kitchen. On days like today that were mostly melancholy for a woman who deeply misses "the way things used to be," Stefanie's willingness to invite Yiayia into her world is, I believe, a great gift.