She just turned 83 this week and loves bridge, bowling, and bagels. For the longest time when she was a youngster, she wondered about her name. Her parents said that ‘Gabi’ was chosen because it would grow in significance as the years passed by. They told her that it did not stand for Gabriela and she wished that it did because that name is so distinctive. At her 13th. birthday party, Gabi blew out the candles in front of her friends while making a special wish. Her mother asked what she had wished for. ‘I would like to know what is the meaning of Gabi and why you chose it for me.’ Her mother said that the teenage years can be very challenging and that her name is an acronym for Grin And Bear It…….and that’s the attitude to adopt when challenges and obstacles arise. Gabi loved the idea and now it all made sense. She received a G A B I necklace and wore it every day. As she aged, the girl with the unique name would develop the philosophy that allowed her to look at misfortunes as just little bumps in the road…..and so they never cast her into the ditch. She lost a husband at forty-nine and never remarried. Her joy was her children and grandchildren who marveled at her joyous spirit and boundless energy. Gabi is excited about the upcoming birth of her first great grandchild. Ashley (her granddaughter) confirmed that she and Jacob were going to have a girl……and name it Gabi to keep the tradition going to remind everyone to Grin And Bear It.
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