PHOENIX, Ariz. – Having a loving and caring relationship with our grandparents is something that is more valuable than any amount of coin. It shows not only how they were raised, but our parents as well.
My family has always been an extremely tight-knit group. But as my age has progressed into adulthood, it was about time I picked my grandmother’s brain – something long overdue. At 84, love and wisdom is something that she passes down to us young bucks.
That first question that was asked to my mother’s mother was what she was doing at my age. A loud laugh was heard from the end of the line, and a smile crossed my face.
Day-to-day life was extremely different than it is now. When my grandmother was 24 years-old, my uncle was an infant, and she was pregnant with my mother.
But being a pregnant mother in the 1960s didn’t stop her from believing in doing the right thing.
While she didn’t go to college – something not many women from Garfield Heights, Ohio did at the time – she used her energy in taking care of her family, and her rights.
In a sudden turn of conversation, she spoke about how the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War changed her outlook on life. Through the walks and protests she participated in, she realized that family and rights are the two things that she cherished most. While our issues today are similar, we are fighting the battle of racism and war in a more varied way.
“I hope that my generation passes to you guys demanding compassion from others and for others,” she said. “Never ever be afraid to speak your mind with respect to others. Have more confidence in yourself and your ability to make a change.”
If you stay comfortable, there is never room to change. Her challenge to our generation is to get off of our phones and go experience life. Yes, she did go on a small rant about the fall of dating with dating apps and the state of social media. But, it did catch my attention.
“Why should you listen to people on a screen determine your dating life?” she said. “Go out and come across hardships, it will only be a lesson for the next time.”
As much as I like to joke and say, “Old people can’t tell me what to do,” she’s right. That eventually led into the most fragile topic of our lovely phone call.
In the most old-school way of meeting people, she met my grandfather in a drive-in hamburger stand. After a few dates, she knew that she would spend the rest of her life with him. Spending your whole life with one person during your most vulnerable moments is treasurable. It’s an aspect of marriage that created that lifelong foundation of trust.
Trust is what is carried throughout my family to this day, thanks to her. My grandfather passed away in 2014, but her love for him remains strong.
Now at her age, life is through her sons, daughters and grandchildren. As emotions rose towards the end of our conversation, she left me with this.
“Make sure you and your partner laugh, dance, kiss and hug. Grandpa and I would dance in the kitchen or the living room. That is what I miss the most. Do not take love for granted.”
