My Paternal Grandmother
Catherine Mulligan Watson—“Nana”
My paternal grandmother, Catherine Mulligan Watson, lived on the other side of our duplex. Although she had an entire half of the house, she actually lived in only two of its rooms. Her world was small and close to ours, making her a familiar presence during my earliest years.
Nana died when I was still young, but my memories of her remain surprisingly clear. I remember her bathing me in her kitchen sink, transforming an ordinary part of her home into a place where she cared for me. It is one of those childhood memories preserved not because anything unusual happened, but because of the closeness and attention contained within it.
I also remember her brushing my long hair. She worked through the snarls before dividing my hair and braiding it. I can still imagine myself sitting quietly while she completed this familiar ritual, her hands carefully bringing order to my tangled hair.
I did not have enough years with Nana to know her as I might have when I was older. What remains are these simple acts of care: a bath in the kitchen sink, a brush passing through my hair, and the braids she made when she was finished. Through those memories, I can still recognize her presence in my young life.
-Nancy Watson
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