Great grandmas are irreplaceable

Great grandmas (GiGis) are very special, loving people! Dorothy Willey is one who brings special blessings to her 9-year-old grandson, Braiden, and her two great grandchildren: Sadie, 31⁄2 and Carter, 2. At age 85, GiGi has mastered using her iPad with the children.

Each evening at 5:30, she checks in with Sadie and Carter for their evening prayer time. She taught them their first prayer to their guardian angel, as they knelt at home, hands folded as they repeated the words GiGi spoke. Little by little, the children learned the words as they watched GiGi on their iPad and she watched them. Carter hasn’t mastered all the words yet, but he patiently kneels beside his sister, occasionally saying a few of the words. Their next prayer was, “Make my life a little light” and “Now I lay me down to sleep.”

GiGi has been teaching Braiden for a few years. At 7 p.m. sharp, she would contact him on her iPad. Now he calls her for his prayer time.

She is a retired grade-school teacher which has enabled her to patiently and persistently go over the prayers until they have been mastered. With COVID-19 in our lives, Braiden’s First Communion was delayed but he did his lessons, learned his prayers and finally received the blessed sacrament. The family and GiGi were present to witness this important event in his life.

GiGis may be confined to their homes but thank God for the wonderful iPad invention. We can put these unimaginable devices to such great use, if only we take the time to figure them out.

Mary Moss lives in Waterford and attends St. Mary’s in ­Crescent.