The last
time my grandchildren were at my house, my older granddaughter gave me a
priceless gift. It was a few days after Christmas, and she was enjoying one of
her new Christmas presents – a Polaroid-type camera for kids that could
instantly print the photos if desired. As I was reading a book with my older
grandson (her brother), she snapped a candid shot of us. Then she printed it
and wrote a message on it. As a long-distance grandma, every moment and every
word is precious.
But this
simple gift was a twofer for this grandma. When my grandson asked me to read
with him that day, there wasn’t room in my small chair for both of us. His
10-year-old body had surpassed the usual position of sitting next to me that we
had been accustomed to in the past. I was surprised when he decided to climb
into the chair and put his legs across my lap. I felt special and cherished the
moment, as I know it won’t last forever. Alas, we only have two more books left
in the special series of twelve that we have been reading together whenever we
have been with each other over the past couple of years.
Not only
did my granddaughter unwittingly capture this special moment in time on her new
camera, she chose to print the photo and give it to me. But then she decided to
write a message on it for me: “You are
the best Grandma in the world!” Music to a grandma’s ears! Especially when
it comes from someone that I only get to see in person 3-4 times a year. At the
end of my most recent visit to her home last August, this same granddaughter spontaneously
broke into tears and didn’t want to let me leave for the airport. It’s hard to
say goodbye when you’re only nine.
So this
little piece of paper means a lot to this grandma, because it represents
relationships that we have been able to develop despite distance. Yes, I wish I
could spend more time in person with my four grandchildren. But I am very
thankful for the technology that allows us to stay connected even though our
homes are several states apart. And I’m also thankful for parents who welcome
and encourage our involvement in their children’s lives. I have discovered that
it is possible to make a difference as a grandparent even without consistent
physical proximity. And part of the reason for that is that we have a shared
faith. Many of the things we talk about and share with our grandchildren have
eternal significance, even if time spent in person is limited. Only God can
bind us together across the miles.
When I leave this world, I’m afraid my children are going to have a lot of sentimental things to sort through. My scrapbooks are full of mementoes and hand-written notes from my own children through the years. But now I also am gathering a collection of special treasures from my grandchildren as well. Sorry, not sorry! And I’m going to keep collecting because these memories bridge the physical distance between me and the ones I hold most dear.
They also remind me to keep listening to each one of my grandchildren and to keep building spiritual truth into their lives while we laugh, read, and play together. Even an old grandma like me can make a difference just by being present and paying attention as they grow, even if it’s more often than not via video calls. But hang on, precious ones, Grandma will be with you in person soon! And I can’t wait.
