My wife and I are in South San Francisco for our first visit since my son and his wife had their first child, 4-month-old Livia. Since it’s our first grandchild, I’m a little anxious, so I’m trying to prepare myself. I now know not to ask, “When are you going to have another child?”; I will be taking a refresher course on changing diapers; and I’m going to the gym to get ready for when she morphs into a little ball of energy.
As a new grandparent, I’ve first started thinking about what wisdom I could share. Okay, she is only 4 months old, but when she starts talking, I could offer some worldly advice: don’t pull the dog’s tail, don’t play in the litter box, and if you sleep through the night, your parents won’t be so grouchy! But maybe the best I can do is just to be present: listening, engaging, smiling.
Then I thought, what if I turned it upside down? What could I learn from Livia as she grows up?
1. Learn to be more curious.
Kids are full of curiosity and want to know everything. Why?... Why?… Why? — and not just to try to avoid an unpleasant task. Their instinct to explore reminds us that learning has no age limit and can lead us back to our childlike curiosity.
2. Learn to play and play to learn.
We play adult games: pinochle, gin rummy, or how about euchre? But how often do we get down on the floor to build the wooden train track? If only I could easily get back up.
Children invent games, stories, and their own imaginary worlds. They can show us that play and imagination are lifelong companions and learning happens through play.
3. The present moment is worth savoring.
Grandchildren live moment by moment — unaware of time until it’s bedtime — “Do I have to?” They are powerful reminders to savor each moment and cherish the small joys.
4. Laughter is essential.
Making funny noises and silly faces can make a young child giggle and smile. Their humor teaches us to lighten up, find delight in the ordinary, and there is nothing wrong with just being silly.
5. Keep moving.
Young children are constantly on the move. I’ve been told to buy a new pair of running shoes! But as older adults, we need to keep moving — just not as much as a three-year-old.
6. Resilience.
A toddler falls, cries, and then tries again. They show us that setbacks aren’t failures — they’re practice.
When you want to learn something: knitting, a new language, a new line dance, and you’re frustrated and want to give up, be like a toddler and try again, and again, and again.
7. Growth never stops.
We may be slowing down, but that doesn’t mean standing still. We can keep growing: making new friends, learning new ideas, skills, and most importantly, new jokes!
8. Joy is found in small things.
We don’t have to buy fancy new gadgets; we don’t have room for them anyway. But we can blow bubbles, run through a sprinkler, and finger paint. Children show us that joy isn’t rare — it’s just often overlooked.
Visiting Livia will remind me to look at the world through a child’s eyes, and just possibly, we’ll find our best teachers are our grandchildren.
•••
Brain Tease: See if you can solve this one. Add the missing vowels (A, E, I, O, U) to decode the sentence: “THS S FN BRN TSR.”
•••
The slogan “Trust your car to the man who wears the star” was an advertising campaign for the Texaco oil company. I received correct answers from Ron Nelson, Stephen Woolpert, Donna Mollet, Bruce Johnson, Eva Johnson, Bruce Ruttenburg, Lana Tepfer, Judy Kiser, David Liberty, Craig Terry, Doug Nelson, Dave Lutgens, Shelley Hinatsu, Kim Birge, Rhonda Spies, Rebecca Abrams, Randy Slatt, Keith and Marlene Clymer, Pat Evenson-Brady, and Mike Monroe who is this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.
And last week, while driving the “gut” in my 1961 Chevy Malibu, I missed Becky Podvent, Craig Terry, Mike Yarnell, and Kathy Bullock.
•••
This advertising jingle, introduced in 1954, was grammatically incorrect. It should be “AS”!! Sorry, I was momentarily possessed by my high school English teacher. For this week’s “Remember When” question, what tastes good like a cigarette should? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-980-4645, or send it with an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, which the company sponsored.
•••
Well, it’s been another week, enjoying the early days of Spring. Until we meet again, an old dog can learn new tricks — if the old dog wants to!
•••
“Love is the greatest gift that one generation can give to another.”
— Richard Garnett
•••
Nutritious home-delivered and in-person meals are available at noon Monday through Friday unless otherwise noted.
Seniors of Mosier Valley (541-980-1157) — Wednesdays with music on second and fourth Wednesdays; Dufur — Wednesdays at noon at 320 NE Second St.;
Hood River Valley Adult Center (541-386-2060); Sherman County Senior and Community Center (541-565-3191); The Dalles Meals-on-Wheels (541-298-8333).
For meal sites in Washington, call Klickitat County Senior Services at the Goldendale office (509-773-3757) or the White Salmon office (509-493-3068), and in Skamania County, call Senior Services (509-427-3990).
Commented