Sincerely Yours, Jumana A. Swindler contributing writer
Grand Baby
Love 2
NOTHING CAN SHARPEN OR SHAKE UP the five senses so
thoroughly as being in love. Whoaaa. Now slow down. This isn’t about
that fragile giddiness you feel when you think you’ve met the man of
your dreams or the heart palpitations and hot flashes that come all over
you when Mr. Right smacks that big kiss on ‘ya. Remember what I taught
you. That’s the kind of love that should, over time, get comfortable and
• “When grandparents enter the door, discipline flies out the window.” ~Ogden Nash
relaxed - like your favorite pair of old sneakers or baggy gray sweats that
• “Everyone needs to have access both to grandparents and grandchildren in order to be a full human
you wear to walk on the beach when you don’t care who is watching.
I am talking about baby love, and not the kind that Mommy and
Daddy feel when they swoon over their precious bundle of joy. It’s the
love a grandparent feels when they cuddle with a cutie patootie that
reminds them of the best parts of what they have inherited from their
predecessors or passed on to their own children.
being.” ~Margaret Mead
• “To become a grandparent is to enjoy one of the few pleasures in life for which the consequences have
already been paid.” ~Robert Brault
• “A mother becomes a true grandmother the day she stops noticing the terrible things her children do
because she is so enchanted with the wonderful things her grandchildren do.” ~Lois Wyse
• “On the seventh day, God rested. His grandchildren must have been out of town.” ~Gene Perret
Like a wonderful book or story preserved for ages ahead, as grandparents we can consider ourselves “first editions” with enough
Getting back to those heightened senses when you’re in grand love. Ever notice how the smell of baby skin, espe-
improvements made along the way that we see the newest versions, a
cially when you sniff the crook of that sweet thing’s neck, renders you weak in the knees? Not even a poopy diaper
classic in living color, in our grands.
shakes that effect away. When you feed the grand, whether as an infant with a bottle or when you play airplane with
And isn’t “grand” a great word for these darling offspring and our
the spoon of nasty looking green peas that look like a prop from The Exorcist (first version, the scary one), your little
love for them? I know why they are called grands. They really are the
loves look you in the eyes and say wordlessly, “I trust your instincts that this is good for me.” That bond establishes
definition of grand: “denoting something large or the most important
a whole future of honesty and secrets to be shared. When you hold those fingers in your own sanitizer rough hands,
item of its kind.” Yep, that’s what grandchildren are. They rank above
noticing the little digits compared to your sun-bleached skin and age spots, you remember God’s Grace in the circle
everything else. At least in my dictionary and life.
of life and feel blessed to be included in His perfect plans. And it’s your job to teach it at future opportunities along
By the way, do you clip and save things? Well, my mom and
Sometimes you taste those tears, shed by your grands’ growing pains. Bittersweet, they are droplets and reminders
es on the refrigerator that is, especially Dear Abby warnings and sage
that hurt also makes us cherish the wonderful. And most of all, when you hear the sweetness of their giggles or the
advice. Here are some of my favorite quotes about grandchildren and
squeaky little voice calling out your name, the tingle in your own belly or lump in your throat reminds you that it’s
grandparenting. Feel free to tape to your icebox:
true love.
• “Perfect love sometimes does not come until the first grandchild.”
~Welsh Proverb
• “Never have children, only grandchildren.” ~Gore Vidal
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the way.
grandmom were notorious for it, posting thought provoking messag-
FEBRUARY 2016
So with silver in our hair and gold in our hearts, grandparents unite. It’s the best way to celebrate this month’s
occasion to focus on love, laughter and life.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all. ~1 Corinthians 13:4.
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