|
My
Wishes For My Grandchildren
.
We tried so hard to make things better for our kids that
maybe we made things worse. My brother Jerry was
famous for his Jerry's World phrase "When I
was a kid!", and as I grew older, I may have
forgotten a lot of those times. We now have 4
beautiful grandchildren, with (at least) 1 more on
the way, and for my grandchildren, I'd like better...
|
I'd really like for them to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches.
I really would.
I hope
they learn humility by being humiliated, and that
they learn honesty by being cheated.
I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.
And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.
It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.
I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in. |
|
I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister.
And, it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room, but when he/she wants to crawl under the covers with you because
they're scared, I hope you let
them.
I
hope you don't isolate yourself playing make
believe video games, rather, find a lot of friends
and go outside to play ball, red rover, 4-square,
dodge ball, or pickle!
When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let
them.
I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.
On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your
Mom or Dad.
If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.
I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.
When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.
I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy/girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.
May you skin your knee
falling off a bike, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.
I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it. And if a friend offers you dope,
a joint, or something worse, I hope you realize he is not your friend.
I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.
May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.
I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at
Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.
These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.
Written with a pen. Sealed with my love. As you
grow older, please know that I'm always here for you. And if I
pass on, I'll always be a part of you, and I'll go to heaven and wait for you with
love and open arms.
|
