How would you describe your grandparents in 3 words? Checking with several people in this area, I heard: “sacred”, “spoil children”, “lovable”, “worrier”, “religious”, “critical”, “helpful”, “loving”, “did not know how to operate a microwave”, “forgetful”, “knows how to do things”, “they have it easy”.
So I need to visit people who live and work with grandparents, as well as memories of my family and friends.
There is the Senior Center where 55+yr. olds hang out. The Center helps with activities, exercise, meals and transportation. Dorela Chavez is in charge of the volunteer program that provides foster grandparents for children, teens that help at the nursing home and adults who are senior companions.
The nursing home provides basic care to those who are seriously disabled.
But you can become a grandparent in your thirties. Young grandparents seem more delighted when new life forms appear, especially if they can be “involved but not provide full time care”. Some of the men do call the little ones “rug rats”. It is said that grandparents and grandchildren get along well because they have a common enemy. Grandparents can bring together different personalities for holiday celebrations without someone being canceled. They still know how to cook something delicious. Hopefully they live close enough to tell stories about the family’s history and survival during very difficult times. They can teach practical skills, how to enter the spiritual world, love truly, and provide an answer to why we were born.
Later in life, grandparents are no longer attractive, no longer current with cultural fads or technology, no longer physically close to their children, or perhaps divorced, widowed or ill. They will live alone. Luckily they have memories of good friends and all sorts of unexpected adventures, as well as the readiness to pass into the fullness of truth, beauty and love.
One set of my grandparents were immigrants. They often lived on the dark side. The daily task was surviving, trying to feed the children and getting enough coal in the winter.
They taught me how to suffer well, persevere and accomplish goals.
My other set of grandparents were able to laugh at “challenges” and focused on honor, duty and their love for each other.
They taught me about the beauty of life.
Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.