Stories from Grandma's early years -- her birth in a sod dugout house here in the then-young state of Oklahoma, traveling by covered wagon, chopping cotton.

Stories from our own childhoods when Grandma lit up our lives with fun.

Stories of how, at their small grocery store near Tulsa, she and my grandfather secretly extended credit that they knew could never be repaid to many families during this country's Great Depression so that those families would have food on their tables.

Stories from the not-too-distant past -- such as how Grandma (an avid baseball fan) played on a city softball league into her 70s, and bowled two perfect games in her mid-80s. Stories of her kindness to everyone who came into contact with her, of her wonderful cooking, of her remarkable beauty, and of the endless patience that allowed her to teach several generations of us how to drive a car. (In my own case, that was often a hair-raising experience for her!) ;-)

So many wonderful memories.

And there was my favorite story of accompanying her during her first downhill skiing lesson when she was 70 years old.

None of us who were there at the base of the mountain drinking hot chocolate will EVER forget hearing Grandma's familiar "Yoo hoo!" as she came scooting toward us in a way-too-big, powder blue ski suit borrowed from a friend of mine. Then, not knowing exactly how to stop, she simply sat down on her skiis and lay back to slide right under our picnic table. We all jumped up to see if she was OK and found her lying face-up there in the snow, laughing so hard that tears were streaming down into her ears!

There was also the amusing brand-new story I'd never heard before about her name. I'd always known that she had named herself. As one of 18 children of a farm family -- sharecroppers, really -- she'd been called Baby Girl and Sis and the like, and at age 12 had given herself the name Ruby Billie. But until a few nights ago I'd never known that she had taken matters into her own hands because she was a bit put out with her "official" name.

"Why would anyone name a girl 'William?'" she wanted to know!

Why indeed? ;-)

So as a remarkable and remarkably loving life came to its close in the wee hours of Saturday morning we all got to tell her once again how much we loved her and that while we sure would miss her, we'd all be OK. Always a very private and dignified person (although truly a hoot and loads of fun, as you can see), she waited until we'd all left the room and then peacefully slipped away.

Somewhere not long ago I read a lovely little piece on the death of a loved one that said it's like watching someone you love sail away across the sea, and that while we're standing here waving goodbye, just over the horizon on a distant shore there are others we can't see who are watching and suddenly, joyfully crying, "Look! Here she comes!"

So that's the Truth I see in these appearances. My wonderful Grandma has graduated from this life and into a new one. She was ready. She wanted to, as she put it, "go home." And now she has.

I tell you all this simply because I am SO filled with appreciation and gratitude that it just keeps spilling over. I could wish nothing better for you or anyone than that you have someone in your life like Grandma -- and that you know you get to BE like her, too. In fact, I am so blessed to have had TWO amazing, wonderful grandmothers, one of whom I shared a birthday with until she graduated 27 years ago. Today is the 107th anniversary of Ruth Todd Silvernail's birth, and I will celebrate that life as well.

In the messages readers sent in July to tell of their own appreciation experiences, many thanked me for giving them the opportunity to feel the joy of expressing their gratitude and appreciation to someone else. But all I gave was a REMINDER.

That opportunity is already yours in every single moment.

And so I hope that you will take a little time right now to go within and think of someone or perhaps several someones, someone still here with us or someone who has already graduated, someone who matters in your life in any way -- and that you will simply allow your heart to fill up with the wonderful feeling of appreciation. Then, if it feels right to you, go tell that person what a gift he or she is. Pick up the phone, or a pen, or someone's hand.

Allow all that good to flow into your heart and on out into circulation. Just let it in, my friend, for when you do, you will know, unquestionably, what it feels like to be rich.

By Rebecca Fine, The Science Of Getting Rich