Happy Grandparents Day!

A Message of Strength to Grandparents!

Last year I got a call out of the blue from my grand-daughter, wishing me a happy Grandparents’ Day. I must tell you that it lit up my heart. A brief phone call, message, or email can mean so much to your grandparents. And if you are a grandparent, there is no reason to wait for a call or a card, pick up your own phone and use this day to reach out to your loved ones. We can give ourselves a present of talking with our family members.

Families now are spread out over states and countries, it’s not the multi generational family units as it was many years ago, and yet there are many more opportunities for our children and grandchildren in these modern situations. We can find ways to stay in contact with them; Facebook, MySpace, texting is a big favorite among teens now, so get a cell phone with texting capabilities. Send letters and cards even if they don’t. Remember that it is a challenge in their world to get done all that needs to get done, and offer them your unconditional support in the way of understanding that they are busy.

Yes, we elders have wisdom, and we also have much to learn as well, so we must accept the situations as they are and do the best we can to keep working on ourselves and to be the very best role models that we can be. I know there are many lonely times in the life of an elder whose family is far away, and so it is very important to keep active and social, and to not put too much pressure on our loved ones to live up to our expectations.

When I turned 50, I opened up a jewelry box that my grandmother had given me when I was 13 years old. It had some funky rhinestone silver plated earrings and a matching necklace. She told me to “hang on to it” and I did, although I was never tempted to wear it. I was at a hard turning point in my life and was sitting on my bed just days before I turned 50, in a home I did not want to be living in, and with tears in my eyes I picked up my jewelry box for some reason opened it up.

I saw my life’s treasures and then saw the old box she had given me, with the faded faux satin lining, and the flaking “gems” in it, and I picked it up and opened it, and for some strange reason after nearly 37 years, lifted the lining, and there was a folded piece of torn notebook paper. On that piece of paper, written in my grandmother’s hand: “Live your life, or die and be done with it.” I did and I am and it’s good!

So live your life as a gift to yourself on this day of celebration for living long enough to have grandchildren!