Three posts in two days. I know I'm not being consistent with my postings, but the new year tends to get me introspective so that's why the increase in posts.
We were with my family on Christmas Eve and I found myself watching my dad closely. I watched the way he played with the grandkids and interacted with them. I thought about what he meant to my kids. He's not the favorite relative they have, but he is a favored relative. I watched his reaction to them and how they are all his favorites (favorite Kanga, favorite Tigger, favorite Roo, etc). I noted the smiles, the laughs, the kind words and encouragement. I sidled up to him in a brief lull of people and told him that he was a good grandfather. And how that made me miss his father.
I've already mourned my grandfather, who was the inspiration for this blog. And while I've missed him at times I've not felt a need to mourn again. Until I made that comment to my father. I could see that Dad felt the same thing as me, but I could also see that I had paid him a great complement. He deserves that comparison. I have been very blessed by the patriarchs in my family.
I have also been blessed by the matriarchs. My two oldest childrens' middle names are tied directly to their grandmothers for good reason. My own grandmothers are and were caring individuals. My paternal grandmother, who died three months after my grandfather, was caring, witty, educated, and musical. She would play games with us - she loved games - and was not the sort of person to "let" you win. You had to earn it. My maternal grandmother, who was not always the most liked is a selfless individual who cares about and helps all those around her. We did not always understand grandmother, but my siblings and I came to know what an amazing women she is. As an example, I carried an extra dinner across the street every Sunday while I was in college to the couple across the street who had constant medical problems. Without being asked Grandmother sent me with a baking sheet covered in warm dishes to the Simmons which was always received with much appreciation. I remember meeting a man whose first words out of his month upon learning of my relation to her told me how appreciative he was for her visits to his aged mother. She visited her, not for hours, or days, or weeks, or months, but for years. It's no wonder that my mother has always been very selfless as well.
All in all, I'm grateful for my grandmothers and grandfathers.
We were with my family on Christmas Eve and I found myself watching my dad closely. I watched the way he played with the grandkids and interacted with them. I thought about what he meant to my kids. He's not the favorite relative they have, but he is a favored relative. I watched his reaction to them and how they are all his favorites (favorite Kanga, favorite Tigger, favorite Roo, etc). I noted the smiles, the laughs, the kind words and encouragement. I sidled up to him in a brief lull of people and told him that he was a good grandfather. And how that made me miss his father.
I've already mourned my grandfather, who was the inspiration for this blog. And while I've missed him at times I've not felt a need to mourn again. Until I made that comment to my father. I could see that Dad felt the same thing as me, but I could also see that I had paid him a great complement. He deserves that comparison. I have been very blessed by the patriarchs in my family.
I have also been blessed by the matriarchs. My two oldest childrens' middle names are tied directly to their grandmothers for good reason. My own grandmothers are and were caring individuals. My paternal grandmother, who died three months after my grandfather, was caring, witty, educated, and musical. She would play games with us - she loved games - and was not the sort of person to "let" you win. You had to earn it. My maternal grandmother, who was not always the most liked is a selfless individual who cares about and helps all those around her. We did not always understand grandmother, but my siblings and I came to know what an amazing women she is. As an example, I carried an extra dinner across the street every Sunday while I was in college to the couple across the street who had constant medical problems. Without being asked Grandmother sent me with a baking sheet covered in warm dishes to the Simmons which was always received with much appreciation. I remember meeting a man whose first words out of his month upon learning of my relation to her told me how appreciative he was for her visits to his aged mother. She visited her, not for hours, or days, or weeks, or months, but for years. It's no wonder that my mother has always been very selfless as well.
All in all, I'm grateful for my grandmothers and grandfathers.
