A Tough Job

     I exercised for a few hours last Sunday. It was a fun workout, though. My grandson, Sammy came to spend time with us while his parents and brother went furniture shopping. Sammy will be seven years old this August, but he’s always been a fast grower and a hard charger. We played on the swing set. This meant climbing as high as we would allow him to, or as high as he could before we could stop him. He swung on the tire swing, played in the bed of my truck, in the back porch sand box, and literally ran circles around myself and my daughter, Candice. Yes, I needed back-up. Sammy is a force of nature. I love him for being so full-on with everything he does. I’m just not a fan, or regular participant, of running. I cherished every breathless moment.  

All my grandchildren make me want to be a better person. When I’m with them it seems to pull the child-like behavior out of me. I want to play. Of course I don’t have the stamina they do, or the speed, but they make me WANT to play. Their presence makes me want to be nicer, too. Sure, I pick at them, tickle them, and teach them silly jokes. That’s what Gramps’ are for. But I find myself trying harder to be a good example for humanity when they’re around. I definitely try not to cuss. I try to encourage them, and myself, to be nicer, kinder and a little less “peckerhead-ish”, even though I know they know I’m not perfect. I don’t expect them to be perfect, either. Their personalities are jumping out and they’re becoming even more pronounced individuals now, as they grow older. I hope I’m showing them a good example of what a Gramps should be. I’ve only had the job for nearly seven years, and it keeps evolving as they do, and I’ve never had one class on the subject. It’s an “on the job training” kind of position.  

As world events have seen our nation back in a shooting war in the Middle East, and federal forces have seized voter records in Georgia, and with the president talking about “nationalizing” elections under his party’s watchful eyes, I find my job as a Gramps a little harder. I want my grandchildren to hear about my love for America, the Constitution, our beloved Bill of Rights and us being “one nation under God”. As I question many of the things that are occurring, I do so out of respect for our laws, our system and the freedoms we hold so dear. My patriotism stems from all of that stuff, and I hope my grandchildren see that my speaking out about injustice, illegal acts, abuse of power, and the destruction of a two hundred- and fifty-year-old institution of Liberty, that they will understand that I am doing so for them. I want them to grow up in a country where debate and discussion are free and expected. One where they aren’t afraid to voice their assent, or dissent. Where their vote matters. A nation that has more than one party on the voting rolls. I want them to grow up in the same wonderful nation I have. One that defends the weak, feeds the hungry, builds bridges across divides, and is represented by people who will uphold the Constitution and not pledge allegiance to any one man.  

I want to show them how to be proud of their country, and their Gramps.  

God bless Y’all.