Go. Well colour me happy. Who would have thought that this day would come? With a clean house and a full larder, my grandson and granddaughter are “coming to town”:…my home down the road. Talk about humbling. To be able to be in their presence, hugging them and spending time with them….thank you Lord. Thank you island community. It is a good day.
I say a prayer for all parents who have been with their children 24/7 with little or no reprieve over the last few months. Children want love attention food entertainment love attention food entertainment…you get the drift. They are like the energizer bunny…don’t quit till their battery runs out. Two speeds – fast and sleep. But love them always. Bless them all. So now I get to spend some time with two of my grandchildren – a 9 yrs (close to 10) and 9 mths old (close to 10). Whew. What an age spread! What to do? What to do?
It’s funny as a Rara (grandmother) to be with them. There is nothing like it. I think back to raising my own three daughters and think, how did I fare? I am not so sure I paid as much attention to the little behaviours of my own as I do with my grandchildren today. Maybe when you are in mother mode, you are more on autopilot, blind leading blind, and alot of hail Mary’s and hope like the dickens they will be okay. Now it seems I have a different sense of awareness and love as I spend time with my grandchildren. Is it being more mature (or seemingly so), seasoned, not so ruffled, lesser distractions, slower even? I see them and delight in their milestones with such wonder and awe. I guess it is easier to be a grandparent because I CAN GIVE THEM BACK. Spoil. Return. Spoil. Return. Good ol’ return policy.
I remember the many summers holidays my folks took us down home to New Brunswick where my dad was grew up. I loved visiting my grandparents on their farm; life was so very different from my own Ontario living. I am not sure how old I was when I became aware of the power of the grandparent versus my folks especially my dad. We got in late from our Ontario drive and I could smell breakfast wafting up the stairwell of the old farmhouse. As we plodded down in our pjs I remember my eyes bugging out when I saw what was on the table. Grandma had cookies and cake in the center of the table amongst toast, bacon, sausage and eggs. Dessert. What? Well let me tell you when grandpa said “dig in” I looked at my dad then grandpa then dad and then my grandma…I had dessert at breakfast. The best breakfast ever. Cake and toast, eggs and cookies. No way. I remembered looking at my dad with a frown on my face (more like what happened to you dad). We rarely got dessert during the week back home never mind at the breakfast table. NOT in my life time. Bestest holiday memory. That is when I knew grandparents beat parents hands down…discipline looks like a fresh made chocolate chip cookie. Woohoo.
The funny sad things is about those times in going to visit my grandparents out east was I cried when I left. According to my folks, each and every time. Why? Do not think it was any one thing but I can say I felt freedom. My grandparents had a 100 acre property, big farm house, old barn, spring water, pantry, cousins next door, huge garden, big porch, house on a hill looking over the river bank, sitting in the cool grass, river below to go swimming in and so on and so on. And every day a table full of food at breakfast and supper time. A grandparent basket full of happiness. So I cried when I left.
So here I am. Do I want my grandchildren to cry when they leave? No. But I do want them to want to return. My parents are now great-grandparents, I am a Rara (grandmother nickname), and now two of my own daughters are moms. For me it is a privilege and honour to be in this role, able to love them as a grandmother. Not the same kind of pressure as being a mom, but still up there. A different kind of love, but still loving them. A different kind of protectiveness, but still protectiveness. They certainly keep me young at least for the first hour and then I start to age quickly. Haha. I’m no spring chick, more like an old hen but boy I feel good. They love unconditionally. And for me …whew! It feels great…like Tony the Tiger G-R-E-A-T.
Now I rest up for the next time (operative word ‘rest’). With memories of precious moments with them this weekend, I watch them leave with a smile. And knowing my middle daughter and partner got a bit of a break, its all good. Safe and sound. You can thank me by not returning too soon. Oops did I say that?? Even though I may tease my daughter (crazy nagging) when she says “see you soon”, my eyes roll (in a loving way mind you) and I respond to her with “yeah yeah yeah”. Until the next time my grandchildren….Ready Set Go! Bless your hearts.
Blessing this day.
Let us pray for all those in need today and to the parents/guardians who need to know they are loved and supported.
Karenpondering 