I believe with all my heart that people come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. For me, my grandparents were my lifetime. They were with me for 48 beautiful years\u2014every step of the way, for as long as I can remember until their death.<\/span><\/p>\n Losing them just seven months apart in 2021 has left an emptiness I can\u2019t quite explain. My Grannie, Rev. Amelia B. Cummings-Stryker, left us on January 9, 2021. My Grandaddy, Retired Brigadier General Jehu T. Stryker Sr. and Former Marshal of the Supreme Court of Liberia, followed on August 14, 2021. They were married for 68 years, and their love was unshakable.<\/span><\/p>\n They were more than grandparents\u2014they raised me from birth in Monrovia, Liberia, when my mother had me at 18 years old. They became my parents, protectors, teachers, and my biggest supporters.<\/span><\/p>\n From feeding me as an infant to attending every school graduation\u2014including my Doctorate\u2014they were always there. They cheered for me during my military Officer’s Basic Training in San Antonio, TX. I\u2019ll never forget the look of pride on Grandaddy\u2019s face as I stood there as a young U.S. Army Lieutenant\u2014his legacy continuing in me.<\/span><\/p>\n They taught me how to pray, how to cook, and how to think for myself. They never hesitated to correct me when I was wrong, but it was always done in love. Grannie would always say, <\/span>\u201cAngel, let God be your guide.\u201d<\/span><\/i> I hold those words even closer now as I navigate through life\u2019s storms and journey.<\/span><\/p>\n And Grandaddy? Every morning he\u2019d say, <\/span>\u201cMa, come get your lunch money.\u201d<\/span><\/i> Years later, I got to return the love: <\/span>\u201cHere\u2019s your lunch money and allowance,\u201d<\/span><\/i> I\u2019d say\u2014and they\u2019d smile and say, <\/span>\u201cGod bless you, Ma.\u201d<\/span><\/i> Those simple exchanges held so much love.<\/span><\/p>\n My grandparents gave me so much more than a roof over my head. They gave me character, faith, and strength. Through their example, I saw what real marriage looked like\u2014full of forgiveness, patience, and love that endured. Even through their hard times, they stuck together.<\/span><\/p>\n They showed me what strong work ethic and integrity look like. I learned early business skills from them, especially watching Grannie run her own business as a proud Black woman in Liberia. They believed in me even before I believed in myself. Their guidance made me not just the woman I am today\u2014but the mother, the provider, the leader.<\/span><\/p>\n They were funny, too. Always had a way of making people laugh. One of my favorite memories is taking them shopping on the military base in 2019\u2014and they ran me over with the electric chair cart! <\/span>LOL.<\/span><\/i> That memory still makes me smile.<\/span><\/p>\n From 2000 to 2008, I had the honor of having them live with me. Those years were full of shared moments and deep connections I will always treasure. They were there for my biggest milestones\u2014pinning as a Second Lieutenant in 1999, and graduating with my Doctorate in 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n Pictures help keep those memories alive. They\u2019re a comfort in grief, a light in the darkness. They remind us that although our loved ones may be gone, their love never fades. I share also because a written tribute is a great way to continue to heal from grief. May you find peace in your voice and memories.<\/span><\/p>\n So thank you, Grannie and Grandaddy. I miss you every single day. But I know you\u2019re at peace now, resting in Heaven, free from pain and full of joy. God has welcomed you with open arms: <\/span>\u201cWell done, my good and faithful servants.\u201d You transitioned in his timing from labor to rest now.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n I know you\u2019re still guiding me\u2014one on each shoulder\u2014helping me stay grounded, strong, full of love and compassion. I will carry your lessons for the rest of my life.<\/span><\/p>\n Until we meet again,<\/span> A moving tribute to the lasting love and legacy of my grandparents, who raised me with faith, discipline, and unwavering support. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=164"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":167,"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/164\/revisions\/167"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=164"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=164"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/copingnpservices.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=164"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}A Foundation of Faith, Discipline, and Support<\/b><\/h3>\n
The Life Lessons That Shaped Me<\/b><\/h3>\n
Love That Never Leaves Us<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span> With all my love,<\/span>
\n<\/span> Angel (AKA)<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"