Happy Grandparents' Day!

Today is Grandparents’ Day. Though the emphasis of this day is to honor a child’s grandparents, I look at this day as a time when I recognize the blessings of being a grandparent.

I grew up without grandparents. Oh, a few of them were still alive when I was a child, but as I don’t ever remember even having a conversation with them, I don’t consider myself as having had a relationship with them. As a young adult, I sang at my grandmother’s funeral. I cried – not because I would miss her, but because I had missed out on having a grandmother.

I never really considered the grandparent relationship much until I watched my mother with my children. I watched with envy. What a beautiful thing. They loved her. She loved them. They could not wait to visit her. My heart would wish that I had experienced what they took for granted.

I watched the interactions between my mother and other children, too. One day in the grocery store, two little girls were arguing with a little girl from our church named Mindy, who is not related to us at all. The little girls, who did not attend our church regularly, had called my mother “Grandma” as most everyone did. Mindy was very upset. Grandma was not their grandmother! She was hers! Her love for my mother made her very possessive!

I determined that even though I had not been on the receiving end of a grandparent’s love, I could definitely be on the giving end! It is so fun to dote on my grandbabies. I love seeing them excited to see me! Why do they get so excited? Well, maybe it’s because they see me getting all excited to see them! Taking the time to cuddle them, love them, teach them, play with them, has been one of the most cherished of blessings in my life. As for others’ children, when a little boy from our church, who we call Li’l Paul, first called me “Nana”, it blessed my socks off! (Whatever that term means, that’s what it did!)

If you have grandchildren, I beseech you to not miss the wonder of being a grandparent! Take the time to cuddle the baby, read to the toddler, have tea with the child, and you will find that the emerging young adult will always be comfortable by your side, loving you.

Be blest, dear Grandparent, by being a blessing.

Happy Grandparents’ Day!

“Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren” (CEV)
“Old people are distinguished by grandchildren” (The Message)
Proverbs 17:6a