Maria Mareta Asia Su'a: sunrise 1919 - sunset 2017...

My late Granma with my dad in the background

 Yesterday my paternal Granma, one of the few great influences in my life, passed on to the next realm to be with our Lord. She died peacefully at the ripe age of 98 leaving a legacy of faith, hope and love for her family and those her life touched.

She was the very last of her generation, born in 1919 in Samoa and then emigrated to NZ with my late grandfather, father and aunties in the 1950s. She was fluent in both Samoan and English and she lived a very full and meaningful life. Her life a celebration of someone who lived life to the fullest, in every sense (without the need for narcotics, tobacco, gambling and alcohol) ha ha ha.

She was a trailblazer, a true pioneer, not afraid of anyone or anything and although she became clinically blind in her 60s, that didn't stop her from travelling or living independently for she had a deeper faith in God which I think will be my constant reminder of her.

I'll always remember her for being fearless in being a widow in her late 50s, with her early morning prayers and evening devotions where she would prayer for all of her children and their children and name her grandchildren and great children for she lived her life in prayer and regular fasting on Fridays.

I'll also remember her spirit of generousity, her tithing and giving to the church, to family faalavelave, to the needy, sharing her food and things that she was given with those around her for her treasures were not stored on earth but were being stored up in heaven.

There are milestones in my life that I will always be grateful in sharing with her and many neat memories that I will always hold dear. She travelled with me to Samoa to support me in my Masters fieldwork (when I was a poor Uni student) in my twenties which later kickstarted my current writing journey and she came with my beautiful aunties to my wedding in my thirties in Fiji where we all had a ball.

She also blessed my children in my forties and I'll be forever grateful to God that my children had the privilege and opportunity to know their great grandmother which very few experience nowadays. And although she has gone, I only have to look into the mirror and see a reflection of her in my nose, my mouth structure and now in the colour of my hair as it turns silver (without the dye :)

And although a feel a deep aching and miss one of the great pillars in my life and know that she is now in a better place and is now rewarded in heaven for being a good and faithful servant. I thank God for such a blessing as my Granma, she will always remain forever in my heart...