As I sit here so
early in the morning, I find myself thinking about my oldest
granddaughter because it is her birthday today. She is turning eight,
but it is almost impossible for me to believe that eight years have
past. I still remember the joy and happiness that she gave me by
merely saying “grandpa” for the first time, or how special I feel
when she smiles and laughs at my clowning around. She is a wonderful
little girl and I wish her the greatest birthday ever.
Yes, birthdays make
me nostalgic, but remembering the past helps one to focus on the
present. For example, with our kids, it seemed like they were grown
and moving out of the house in what seemed a blink of an eye. At one
moment, your kids are enthusiastically following you around, asking
questions about everything and anything. Soon, however, friends and
popular media garner your child's enthusiastic attention. It is a
part of growing up, but it happens so quickly that parents are
frequently taken by surprise when their kids no longer look at them
as the absolute authority on everything.
This is where
remembering the past can be useful. I know that it will not be very
long before my granddaughter is more concerned about talking to her
friends than she is with talking to her old grandpa. As was said
earlier, it is a part of growing up. Yet, knowing that this is the
way of things, I am more resolved to enjoy all the time with her that
is possible. If age accounts for any kind of wisdom, the one thing
that I have learned from my life is that we must make the most of the
time that we have with those we love the most.
