Grandparents

This past weekend, my family packed up the car and headed east to Iowa City to spend a few days with my 81 year old maternal grandmother.

I have been making this trek for years. With my family for holidays, for a week every summer when I was in elementary school, to spend weekends with my grandparents during my twenties, with my fiance and then husband, and to be there when my grandfather was laid to rest. 

It has been a year and a half since grandpa passed. I still miss him so much, especially when I come for my visits. This visit was particularly bitter-sweet as it was Ella's first trip to Iowa City. She never met her great-grandpa. She was born 9 months after his death. A perfect reflection of the circle of life.  

We did visit his grave at the end of our trip. The day had been mostly overcast and rainy, but for those few minutes we were at his grave the sun peaked through the clouds and enveloped us in its warmth. I believe my grandfather was saying hello to us and was happy to meet his great granddaughter. As the tears soaked my cheeks, a smile grew on my lips because I know he is better able to enjoy Ella from his painless vantage point. 



Our trip was not all sadness though, Ella has met her great grandmother before but now that she is a little older, it was heartwarming to see them interact with each other. They played with toys, read books, sang songs, and shared hugs. It was a joy to see two people you love so much, love each other. 

I was finally able to steal my grandmother back from Ella, while both she and Aaron napped. At one point in our conversation, the subject turned to parenting. One thing grandma said stuck with me, she said, "I worried about so many things when they were little and none of the things I worried about happened, but things I never thought of did. So, just enjoy them and face what comes." 

Life brings so much that we can worry about - and not just when it comes to parenting. What I take from this is a reminder to stay present. In this case, stay present to your children and try not to worry so much about the "what ifs." 

You can also apply this concept to this past weekend spent with my grandmother. I could have spent the weekend worried about how many of these trips remain in our future, instead, I chose to stay present to this precious time spent strengthening the bond between a matriarch and one of her youngest offspring. 

Stay present - and try not to let your worry steal your joy.