You rock.

For some of you, being a grandparent is one of your most favorite things to do. You love swinging your two year old granddaughter in the swing hanging from the oak tree in your front yard. You love watching your little tike try to be just like his grandpa. You love getting the “first day of kindergarten” pictures or the first ball season team photo in the mail. You watch that little two year old grow to be six, seven, twelve, fifteen. Your little one is driving now. Maybe they are “too cool,” to hang out with their grandparents, but you love the time you do get. You finally take the swing down. You create an extra parking space in your driveway and a bed in your home. For whenever  your “little one,” decides to come back for a good grandparent cooked meal, a good chat, some genuine advice, a good old movie night.

I promise you we come back. And if they do not, they are missing out on some of the best things that will ever happen to them.

Now, some of you grandparents…you were put in a position you never planned. You became the parent. You became the guardian, the caretaker, the carpool driver, the soccer game watcher, the lunch packer, the dinner maker, the laundry doer, the allowance giver, and their go to person. You did this all and you did not have to. 

For some of you grandparents, this became you when your grandchild was born, when they were three, when they were six, or eight, or twelve, or…twenty. 

I may be slightly biased, but I genuinely believe I have the absolute best grandparents for me. When I was born, my grandparents had NO clue what their granddaughter’s life would end up looking like. They didn’t know they would drive what I’m assuming to be thousands of miles in their red Toyota Highlander to and from places to be with me or to take me to my parents. They didn’t know that during those thousands of miles I would ask “where are we?” and “are we there yet?” every single mile we drove. Or, that I would sing them in an oh so angelic six year old voice the WHOLE way there. They didn’t anticipate any of that, but they did it without EVER complaining. They didn’t realize that the next 18 years of my life was going to be a little (ha!) hectic. Let me tell you something about my sweet grandparents and those 18 years: they walked by my side, step by step, mile by mile, and tear by tear..without hesitation, without resistance, without regret…they walked. Sometimes, they even carried me when I just could not walk by myself.

When I started college, my grandparents selflessly chose to continue to walk alongside me. Their home became my home. Their dinner table became my dinner table. They created a spot for me in their driveway. I have a bed at their home. I have a key to the back door. I have driven that red Toyota Highlander that drove me so many miles as a child. I show up at their house for a good grandma hug, or a good chat with grandpa.

I show up because I’ll never be “too cool” to see my grandparents. The very same people who spent so many years of their life (2o to be exact) serving me, and my needs and doing it oh so selflessly. I never asked for my grandparents to step in to somewhat parental role in my life…not at 20 years old.

But they did.

Hey, grandparents.. whether you are mine or not, you rock.  As your grandchild, we are so aware that our time with you on this earth is limited.  We understand that while we will not know you for your whole life, you have known us for ours. When we were born, a part of our heart became yours and yours became ours.

When you go, so will a part of our heart.

Please know that your love is a love like no other. Your hugs are unmatched.

Please stay forever.

Sincerely,

a grandchild who’s life would be so different without her grandparents

“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.” ~Rudy Giuliani