Valentine Grandparents

Have you noticed that Christmas has instantaneously evaporated from the stores, replaced by heart-shaped boxes of chocolate?
Yes, the merchants are hoping to evoke loving emotions that translate into bucks spent on candy and flowers. I don’t begrudge them their enterprise; I’m a big fan of capitalism.
But for some reason, the heart-shaped bearers of temptation don’t remind me of my true love.
They remind me of my mom. I’m not sure what that tells you about my childhood, except that women who love chocolate is hereditary in our family.
Seeing red and pink hearts in all the stores fills me with love and appreciation for the two women who have been irreplaceable in raising my children: their two grandmothers.
I asked my oldest child what advise she would give grandparents.
“Just ask them,” she responded with authority.
“Huh?”
Grandkids can always say no, but she advises grandparents to ask their grandkids to do anything together, no matter how silly you may think it sounds.
Then she listed all the things she had experienced because her grandparents invited her along in their life.
-Cultural events, like symphonies, ballets, plays, and operas
-US political process, by way of Smith County Party Conventions, and Women Voters meetings, not to mention meeting candidates in person
-Sporting events, including little league games and football on TV
-Travel, like the trip to Disney World or Europe
-Skills, like vegetable gardening, woodworking, knitting, quilting, praying, bible studying
-Community Service, like fundraising, performing for civic functions, and participating in event planning
The list was extensive.
My daughter said it never occurred to her that one of these activities would be boring or tedious, because her grandparents had spoiled her rotten as long as she could remember. Any invitation with them had an instant appeal.
Pretty sweet stuff.
We always reap what we sow.
In recent years, my grown daughters have returned the favor by inviting their grandparents on adventures. Like the trip to New York that the two granddaughters talked their two grandmothers into, making it a grand foursome.
So, while for some reason, I can’t ever seem to remember Grandparents’ Day, Valentines Day always makes me think of two very special women, my children’s grandmothers.

Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives with her family in the beautiful woods of East Texas. Comments are invited at CaeKrafve2@aol.com.