Grandparents are a very special blessing, or perhaps I should say, being a beloved grandchild is a very special blessing. I truly believe being a grandparent is my second highest calling in life. My first, being an obedient daughter to the King, Creator of the universe. I was blessed to know all of my grandparents and even most of my great grandparents. As a matter of fact, I still have one Grandma living. Although I have many memories of good times with my grandparents, the memories with one Grandpa are still very dear and quite clear, considering . . . it's been over fifty years.
My Grandpa, who was my greatest fan, passed away two weeks before my fourth birthday. He suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 49. I remember that birthday and how terribly sad I was that he wasn't there. I missed him so much. In an effort to cheer me up, my aunt took me to the circus. This aunt ranked right up there with Grandpa, in awesomeness. She absolutely meant well, but at that time nothing was the same without Grandpa. To this day, I still don't like circuses.
When Grandpa died, my sister was just a few months old and that grandma was always busy or working. Both my aunts were still in their teens, so they had social lives. For most of those four short years, I was "the one and only," and I knew it! My other Grandpa was wonderful, also, but I had cousins about the same age, so we shared him. That set of grandparents were usually home together and often had company, so there wasn't that same one on one time with him. For the record, though; both of my Grandpas were absolutely superb in their supply and provision of ice cream!
Over fifty years later, I'm still amazed at the number of memories that dance through my thoughts. Grandpa, of course, bought me things, but more importantly he spent time with me. He did things with me! He showed me those sprinkles that went on top of cookies could go in an angel food cake batter and make the cake so pretty! I knew about confetti cake, quite early in life. Cake is still a favorite. He never told me to "go play" or "be quiet." As far as I was concerned, he was the embodiment of "home entertainment." There was nobody like my Grandpa! He bought me a US states puzzle, not to occupy me, but to put it together with me. I remember it clearly, or I think I do. So when I saw a similar version of the states puzzle, all these years later, I bought one for my grandkids. I'm smiling to myself as I write, remembering. He was a part of my life for such a short time, but what am impact he had.
Time with my Grandpa was always wonderful. He usually had a surprise and although I didn't always expect a gift, he was a very giving person. Back when gasoline was purchased at "service stations" where windshields were washed, oil and tires were checked, there were often marketing promotionals and gas wars . . . Such ancient history, I'm now telling. Sinclair's logo was a dinosaur and for a summer promotional, gave away an inflatable dinosaur with the purchase of a full tank of gas. Daddy was an avid swimmer and had already taught me by that time, so Grandpa thought I'd love it in the pool. I was little bitty when I remember seeing that green flat package . . . When Grandpa blew it up, it scared the daylights out of me. He immediately deflated it and threw it in the back of the closet and shut the door. He said he wouldn't let it out! After he died, I remember finding that wadded up green plastic creature still deflated in that closet. Whether it was just forgotten, or the closet hadn't been cleaned, this little girl knew Grandpa had kept his promise!
There is a specific gift my Grandpa gave me, of which I am reminded daily. It's something which has modeled my own grandparenting and gift giving, as well as my life's work. As I sit here at this keyboard, I often think of the toy typewriter he gave me. That gift encouraged the talent and task our Creator had purposed for me. Did Grandpa know I'd become a writer? I can't say, but I truly believe our Heavenly Father led him to that particular toy, that particular day.
To this day, I believe one of the greatest privileges of being a grandparent is to encourage the G-d given talent in grandchildren. What society calls a "hobby" may in fact be someone's purpose!
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