My Aunt Violet celebrated her 78th birthday last Sunday. It’s a remarkable accomplishment for a lady who wasn’t expected to live past her early teens.

Violet was born with cerebral palsy and partially paralyzed on her right side. Her right arm is bent up from her elbow and her hand points inward, making it difficult for her to pick up objects. She walks with a limp and her right foot drags across the floor with each step she takes. The challenges she faces just trying to get dressed each morning would frustrate a lot of us to the point that we might just give up. But, Violet’s not a quitter. She’s endowed with an unyielding determination that helps her to meet and complete each task she faces, no matter how long it takes.

I believe that God blessed Violet with a relentless spirit when she was born. Shortly after her first birthday, doctors warned my Grandparents that she might never learn how to walk. A few months later, Granddad was standing on the front porch with tears brimming in his eyes as he watched Violet take her first steps.

Over the years, Violet learned how to cook, clean the house and wash clothes. Until this day, she can fold a t-shirt tighter than the best drill sergeant. Violet was a top-notch baby-sitter. I all but refused to stay with anyone else when I was a toddler and my parents were out of town. She had such a tender heart and she was always gentle with and kind to children.

She lived with my Grandparents until my Grandmother’s death in 1985. She always seemed to be happy staying with her parents. There are only a few occasions that I can remember growing up when I saw Violet and she wasn’t smiling. Once was at my Grandmother’s funeral. Not only were they mother and daughter, but my Grandmother was Violet’s support system. They were a pair and my Grandmother’s passing broke Violet’s heart.

A year or so after my Grandmother died, Violet moved into a rest home in Carrboro. Surprisingly, she thrived in that setting. She made several new friends and even found a boyfriend named Thomas. The caretakers at the rest home often told me that Violet made their jobs a little more bearable. They described her as the “bright spot” on a gloomy day.

Violet is currently residing at a rest home just outside of Garner. Her physical strength has faded over the last decade and now she needs a wheelchair to get around. However, she hasn’t let that tarnish her love and zest for life. She still wears that smile everywhere she goes.

I don’t know if I’ve ever told my Aunt Violet, but she’s been an inspiration to me for as long as I can remember. That constant smile of hers has led me through some difficult times in my life. She’s never asked me for a thing in return for all the love that she’s given me over the years with the exception of a hug when I greet her.

I hope Aunt Violet stays around to celebrate many more birthdays. To tell you the truth, I need those hugs just as much as, if not more than, she does.