This is my pioneering dad in his farming days. He didn’t get to be a grandpa for very long.
Don’t Forget Grandpa
He likes hugs too
Don’t ever let your grandpa feel left out.
Grandpa always has a pocketful of peppermints.
“Grandpa can I have a peppermint,” the child asks.
“Oh. I don’t have any peppermints today,” he says.
“Yes you have,” the child says, “you always have.”
“Do I always?” Grandpa feigns. “Where?”
“In your pocket. Right there.”
“Oh, let me see.” And he pats all of his pockets in turn.
“Nope, no peppermints.”
“Grandpaaw!”
“Which pocket?”
“That pocket. Right there.”
“Oh my goodness. So I have,” says Grandpa.
What a surprise. The child is delighted. “Can I have one? Please?”
“Oh, I suppose.”
And grandpa gives him a peppermint
And, of course, the rest of the grandkids swarm him, and plead, and Grandpa pretends to be peeved.
And then he holds out his peppermint bag and they all choose a mint.
And then they all give him hugs.
Don’t ever forget about Grandpa
He loves his hugs as well
Grandpas in my day were very austere, and in my life, mostly absent.
Both of mine lived elsewhere, and both died when I was still very young.
Where I spent my childhood, Grandpas were pioneers. They opened up and settled the land. Even my dad was a pioneer. He established a country store in pioneer country.
Even later, in town, I practically never met anybody else’s grandpa. If you have a grandpa, see him regularly. If he lives with you or nearby, consider yourself lucky. Talk to him. Learn his stories.
That is part of you. Don’t leave it so late that he might get Alzheimer’s and forget his own stories. Guaranteed, you will then regret not having made the effort. (I do.)
Come to that, you don’t know how much time you have.
A friend on our Alzheimer’s on-line support group came up with this expression: “The things you don’t remember, I’ll never forget.”
Things You Don’t Remember
H. W. Bryce
The things you don’t remember
Are the things I’ll not forget;
Each mem’ry’s like a member
And our fam’ly won’t forget.
Don’t you worry now my friend,
I never will forget you,
I’m here with you until the end;
It’s okay if you forget.
I’ll keep your mem’ries for you,
I’ll remind you like a son;
I’ll keep them safely for you
So your memories live on.
The mem’ries I’ll remember
Are the things that you forgot,
Each month until December
We will mark forget-me-not.
Hug your grandpa today, ’cause grandpas are a dying breed. Of course, they are, they’re growing old, and age takes us all in the end. So don’t forget your grandpa, he likes hugs too.
