I've read that there's a problem with communication between the generations. This picture tells me there isn't. There's a 79 year age gap between the two in the picture and I can tell you for a fact that they communicate quite well.
My youngest daughter and her family live just a half mile from my dad. Yesterday, I went to my daughter's house to babysit for four year old Natalie while her momma took her baby sister to the doctor for a well baby check up. I asked Natalie if she would like to take a walk with me to her Great grandpa "Susu's" house. Well, of course she did. He is one of her favorite people and the feeling is mutual.
Before we left her house, she decided to wear her bunny ears "cause it will make him laugh". As we walked, we discussed a number of subjects, including what her Papa Susu would be doing on such a beautiful spring day. I told Natalie I thought he would be in the garden because that's where he loves to be.
The discussion included the fact that Papa get's mad at rabbits who gets in his garden and eats his
produce. Natalie assured me that she wasn't a real rabbit, she was just a girl with pretend rabbit ears.
When we arrived at our destination, we didn't even knock on the front door. We just went straight to the back yard and down the hill where Grandpa's garden is. And yes, that's where he was. He was so intent on planting his pepper plants that he didn't even hear us. Bunny Natalie was ecstatic that she "surprised" him. What followed was a fascinating conversation about what was in the garden and how much Natalie, like bunnies, loved peppers. I just stood back and treasured the moment.
It was a moment in which I was grateful that my 83 year old dad can still plant and care for a huge garden. And I was happy that in an age of instant entertainment for children, my granddaughter and my dad weren't talking about cartoons or princesses, they were talking about something that was "real"
I'm going to get a copy of this picture for Natalie so she will always be reminded of the moment she had with a truly amazing Grandpa.
No comments:
Post a Comment