Inspiration

                Only one person comes to my mind when I hear the word inspiration, and that is my grandma. She is everything I want to be and more.

                Marilyn Anne Salter is a woman who will put her own life on hold to protect her family. She had a rough childhood growing up in San Francisco. With an abusive drunk father, and a drunken gambling mother, my grandma didn't have it easy. Growing up she would always stand up for her siblings and unfortunately her father beat her for it. However, she believed nobody should ever abuse a child, so she fought back.

                My grandma worked hard to get out of her abusive situation at the age of 16. She graduated from high school and moved to downtown Los Angeles. She never looked back, her brothers and sisters moved out shortly after and were free from their horrible parents.

                Her favorite word has got to be the word, "NO!" She refuses to put up with bullshit. Even when she was robbed at knifepoint five years ago, she still screamed, "NO!" And guess what? The guy was so scared shitless, that a 68 year-old granny was fighting back, he ran off like a pussy.

                I was raised by my grandmother, and let me tell you, she had her hands full. She would do everything for me without even batting an eye. She finger-painted with me, taught me how to sew, and how to bake. I know I drove her crazy and still probably do, but she still loves me. Without hesitation she still takes care of me every single day.

                My grandpa’s ongoing battle with skin cancer has proved how strong my grandma is. She is staying strong for my whole family. When he underwent chemotherapy and radiation, she drove him every single day for treatments, and held his hand the entire time.

                She always says, “It is what it is, there’s nothing I can do except be there for him.” My grandma has turned into my grandpa’s personal nurse. Every day twice a day, she cleans and bandages my grandpa’s skin cancers. More important than that, she puts up with his bitching and complaining every day.

                And throughout everything, I’ve only seen my grandma cry once, and it’s been three years of cancer treatments for my grandpa. I’m scared to lose him, but she gives me faith. When I’m at my weakest, she whispers, “We’ll get through it together.”

                Even through all of the cancer treatments, my grandma managed to make our family feel normal. She stilled cooked dinner every night and did all of the shopping and cleaning.

                My grandma is the glue that holds my family together. We fight and argue sometimes, but in the end we just laugh at each other. She inspires me to be a strong woman who hold her family together even in the worst situations.

                My granny is more than my inspiration, she is my role model. Cutie, granny, and baby girl are just some of the nicknames I have for her. We laugh and joke all the time. When every something grosses her out she says, “That is Na as in Na, and Sty as in Sty.” Also known as nasty. She is full of fun and laughter and will drop anything for her family.