With Mother’s day coming up in various countries around the world it is timely to recognize the massive contribution of grandmothers. I love the essay that an eight year old wrote entitled, What a Grandmother Is.This is what he wrote:
“A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own, so she likes other
people’s little girls and boys. A grandfather is a man grandmother. He goes for
walks with the boys and they talk about fishing and tractors. "
"Grandmothers don’t have to do anything but be there. They are old, so they
shouldn’t play hard or run. They should never say 'hurry up.'"
"Usually they are fat but are not too fat to tie children’s shoes. They wear
glasses and funny underwear and they can take their teeth and gums off. "
"They don’t have to be smart, only answer questions like why dogs hate cats and
why God isn’t married."
"They don’t talk baby-talk like visitors. When they read to us, they don’t skip
bits or mind if it is the same story over again."
"Everybody should have one, especially if you don’t have television, because
grandmothers are the only grownups who have time.”
The touch is light but did you feel the punch line? Oooooch! “Grandmothers are the only grownups who have time.”
One of the greatest gifts we have is the gift of time. One of the greatest gifts we can give to children and old people is the gift of our time—not only being there but being fully present to listen and to care.
Geoff Pound
Source: From a book of sermons and speeches (given to me by Graham Brogden…thanks Graham!) by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Donald Coggan.
Image: One grandmother, still working at eighty.