Bonds across the generations.
As a grandparent myself, I look at this picture with a different lens than I would have 20 years ago.
I mean, you can see the pride in my dad’s eyes and the joy with which he “presents” his son to his father, but I now also see the joy with which my grandfather is interacting with his grandson too.
There is so much unsaid in this picture though.
The nine months of worry for both adults, for the family. Would this baby be born with spina-bifada like his half-sister before him?
And while everyone was rejoicing in a healthy baby and a boy to boot, I’m sure there was a lot of reflection and sadness as the mere existence of Craig was a stark reminder that his sister lived at a school nearby and was not able to participate in the day-to-day family interactions such as this little backyard conversation.
A bittersweet time for my family for sure and one that I never took the time to talk to my Dad, my Mom, or my grandparents about, sadly.
Pop-Pop, Craig and Dad together – there are many photos of the three of them like this one.
I am at times envious of the many years that the three of them had together and would like to be the proverbial ‘fly on the wall’ to experience some of these encounters. Though I only had our grandfather in my life until I was 18, Craig had the gift of 33 years with him. I wonder what depths of that relationship were reached – during the time before Pop-Pop began to lose his physical and cognitive abilities. Before he was put in the passenger seat of life.
The smile on Pop-Pop’s face here (and in many of those other older photos) makes me believe he had an engaging, fun side which I was not treated to as often. I do have some memories of sitting at his feet in the farmhouse in N.H. and experiencing his love of reading, teaching, whittling, and more – but I can imagine he liked to tell a silly joke, to share a comical moment and maybe even a guffaw or two.
I sit now with the hope that his life was more joyful than not and that his legacy lives on in all of us who were lucky to have had him in ours.
- Are there memories of times with your grandparents that you still hold close to your heart?
- Do you have ‘Littles’ in your life that bring you joy?
- Have there been times in your life when multiple generations have gathered together?
“Grandchildren remind us of the beauty of life and the power of unconditional love.”
~unknown
This section is dedicated to him and all of the laughs we enjoyed over the years.
Q: Why did Dad put wheels on Grandpa’s rocking chair?
A: Because Grandpa wanted to rock-n-roll!
