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By Seth Pinson
This semester I lost my grandmother. While I knew that the day was inevitable, nothing could have prepared me for January 21st. I was still in the process of settling in for the Spring semester and was scheduled to start an internship later that week. That morning I received the phone call that she had passed away, less than 24 hours after I had visited and spoken with her. My first reaction before heading home was to clean. That may seem like a strange reaction to such sad news, but looking back I have come to understand why my brain immediately had such a thought.
Linda Pinson was a remarkable woman. A wonderful mother to three children and second mother to many more. She was an amazing grandmother who I am happy to have had. She was raised in Robertson County, Tennessee and married her sweetheart, my grandfather, at 18. My dad was the first child, born in 1978, followed by Robbie and Ashley. In the early 1980’s, my grandmother would be diagnosed with breast cancer. This disease and the effects of the chemotherapy would affect her for the rest of her life. The treatments cured the cancer, but in the process damaged her lungs. For over 35 years, she suffered from lung problems. Despite all this, she was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She gave everything she had to ensure her children were raised well and that no child in the neighborhood would go hungry. I was blessed to have spent 18 years of my life with her. She taught me to be creative. She taught me useful life skills. Most importantly, she taught me how to take care of others despite your circumstances.
What does taking care of others mean? Small gestures of kindness can mean the world to somebody. Showing that you care can change somebody’s life. Meme always made sure to treat everybody fairly and made sure that everyone felt equal. Equality is essential to a Christian philosophy. Deuteronomy 10:17 says “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.” John 13:34 says “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” The most explicit and blunt version of this is Romans 2:11, “For God does not show favoritism.” We all serve the same God and everybody should be treated the same because all are equal in the eyes of God.
These past few months have been difficult knowing that she is not there. Knowing that I can’t pick up the phone and call her, or go over to her house and eat with her. Knowing that I’ll never again get a birthday phone call or a hug saying she’s proud of me. She may not be with me physically, but she will always be with me mentally wherever I go. The principles and morals she instilled in me stick with me every day. After taking some time to process the loss, I realized that she will never be gone because her memory will live on forever. She’ll always be proud of me and her family, for that it is what mattered to her most.
That day, I decided to clean because I knew that it needed to be done. I could have left and nobody would have faulted me for it, but deep down I knew I must always do my part and more. You may not always be able to give a lot, but if you give it your all, that’s what counts. In today’s society, these small gestures of kindness can go a long way to ensure equality and showing that everyone is valued. It’s my job to uphold these principles and see that they are used in my everyday life. If you see someone struggling, help them in whatever way you can. If we treat others like Meme did, we can help ensure that everyone knows they have value. They’ll know that they are loved, just like Meme loved us.
Linda Pinson (1956-2024)
Seth, of Franklin, Ky., is a member of the McConnell Scholar Class of 2027 at the University of Louisville. He plans to study political science and economics.