Why I Love My Grandma: The Importance of Family

This is my grandma. She is the most fabulous woman I know. I love being with her...I can't imagine ever being without her. She is sweet, compassionate, God-fearing, loving, beautiful, adventurous, and wise. She thinks of others before ever thinking of herself. Most of all, she is a very funny woman. As you can see, there are many reasons why I love her. I suppose my parents are to thank for that...them and a lot of memories we have been able to create together over the years.

When I was a child, sledding was a regular occurance at my grandparents' house every winter. One day sticks out in my mind. Like every other time, my grandma turned to me and said, "Now, Gina, wait until your sister and I are out of the way before you come down the hill." Obediently, I replied, "Yes, grandma." One time in particular, I gave in to the excitement of the impending downhill thrill ride. Down I went. The only thing I remember was seeing my grandma's legs being swept out from under her by the front of my sled. Luckily, my grandma was able to stand up and laugh after our collision.

Then there was the time that I was riding Dart, one of the ponies on their farm. I must have startled him, as he threw me right off his back. My flight through the air ended with a "splat" into a pile of horse manure. Grandma, not missing a beat, sprang into action. She jumped to her feet, took out a screen door, and hurdled two fences in order to get to me. She got to me in minutes, and quite frankly, I don't think I have seen the woman run that fast since. I'm pretty sure that I am at least partially at fault for the double knee replacement she had years down the road.

During the summer breaks of my college years, I had the opportunity to live in South Carolina. Since my great aunt and uncle also lived there, my grandparents came to visit. One day for lunch, they took me up to Calabash, North Carolina, for a nice little seafood dinner. A couple months before the visit, my grandma had had surgery on her jawbone. It turned out that her jawbone had actually deteriorated. The doctors replaced the missing bone with a gold bar. The surgery left her face with some nerve damage, leaving some parts numb. While we were enjoying our lunch, she lifted her glass to drink from a straw. After unsuccessfully trying to find the straw with her lips, she put the glass down. Wouldn't you know it, that straw was stuck up in her nostril- and she had no idea. I love that woman.

Thinking about these memories makes me consider what kind of relationship I want my children to have with their grandparents. I want them to value those relationships the way I always have, and still do. To spend those moments with someone so special, and to be able to cherish those memories forever is one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given. Family is precious. Life is precious. All to quickly, the time together will end. Being able to recall those sweet moments together...it's simply priceless.