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Dear Reader,
There's a luxury in being a grandparent that I didn't have when I was a parent. Parents are busy buying groceries, cleaning up a trail of messes their little darlings continually leave behind, stressing about doctor appointments and getting kids to school before the bell rings, working jobs, and trying to carve out some time for themselves, so they can be good parents and good spouses. Grandparents have time to stop and play with a stick.
I remember when my grandson Paul was three years old, and we were out in the woods on a scenic trail walk. It was in a beautiful park and I'd planned a fun afternoon. Walking along the wooded trail, Paul picked up a long stick and starting twirling it in the dirt, and stabbing leaves that had fallen down from the trees above. He was quite amused playing with the stick and the leaves, but after a few minutes I suggested we move along. The look on my grandson's face told me he was quite content to stay in one place, that he wanted to keep playing with the stick. When I started to explain why we should get going, thank heavens I caught myself and stopped.
Because I realized that Paul was right. There wasn't a schedule, and we didn't have to do anything particular on our walk. The reason I'd planned the walk in the first place was to do something with my grandson that he would enjoy. So I sat down on a log and watched Paul play.
When our grandkids come to visit my husband and I tag-team. When Paul wants to "wash" dishes for an hour, and his brother James wants to take everything out of Grandma's kitchen cupboard, that's okay. Our time is completely devoted to the boys and we can clean up as we go. Parents don't have that luxury.
"Stay on the Trail" the sign says, and Grandma and Grandson do stay on the trail. But isn't it wonderful that grandparents have the time to venture off a trail, building castles, fighting dragons and twirling sticks along the way.
Congratulations to the following book winners:
Paris Letters by Guest Columnist Janice MacLeod: Joan Thuesen and Joyce S. Bartley.
Smitten Book Club by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter and Diann Hunt: Jeannie Schwald, Mary Robinson, Jan Jasieniecki, Betty Royster, Jean Lesslie, Pat Harmer, Karen Blinn, Deanna Stillings, Pat Cameron, Mary Taggart Sikes, Rosemary Nichols, Linda Poorman, Dianne Ries, Michel Gallegos and Beth Fuller.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
[email protected]
AUTHORBUZZ: ALMOST PERFECT (Fiction) by Diane Daniels Manning
An old woman who's given up hope and an autistic boy who believes the impossible wonder if life would be perfect at the Westminster Dog Show. Will their dreams come true?
Go to: http://authorbuzz.com/dearreader click on ALMOST PERFECT to read more and to email author Diane Daniels Manning, you'll get a reply.
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