I Believe in the Lessons Grandparents Teach Us

I believe there are some things today’s world can’t teach you. Many would disagree with me, arguing that in our ever-advancing, high-speed, high-tech world, humankind is more knowledgeable than ever, and this may be true. But sometimes we need to learn things that can’t be taught by the world’s smartest professor—I believe that’s why we have grandparents.

Visiting my grandparents at their house just outside of Topeka, Kansas has been one of my favorite things to do for as long as I can remember. There is absolutely nothing to do there, but that’s exactly why I love it. A typical day usually consists of naps, lots of baking (and lots of eating), card games and sitting on the porch, enjoying the day. This last one is my favorite. We just sit, relaxing and eating my grandma’s cookies. Sometimes we talk for hours, and sometimes words aren’t necessary.

To the majority of teenagers, this probably sounds boring, not to mention weird that I actually enjoy it. I love listening to my grandparents’ stories about when they were young. I appreciate the way people lived in our grandparent’s time—life seemed so much simpler. The fact that people survived with pay phones instead of cell phones, letters instead of emails, and records instead of iPods fascinates me. They learned to appreciate the little things in life. My grandparents would probably consider going to the farm and fishing, or maybe starting on a new quilt or wood-working project an exciting day. When I was little, I used to look forward to mowing my grandparents’ lawn. As funny as it sounds, I was so excited that I got to ride on the lawn mower as my grandpa slowly drove up and down the rows of their multiple-acre yard. Because of my grandparents, I have been lucky enough to learn that sometimes the simplest things can make you happy.

Grandparents teach valuable lessons—like how to play cards, make the world’s best cookies, and to learn to relax when you need it. People always complain about old folks living their lives in slow-motion, but I believe sometimes that’s just what I need.