An Ode To Our Grandparents

"A grandparent is a little parent, a little teacher, and a little bit best friend." On this Grandparents' Day, make sure to spend a little more time than usual with your grandparents, make sure to help them find their lost spectacles, make sure to listen to their stories a bit more attentively, and make sure to talk to them a little more lovingly, make sure to make them feel happier and better about themselves, and last but not least, bring a broad smile on their face.

Grandparents Day. Image Source: cityspidey

We have always loved the dishes that our grandma cooked, we have always loved the rides our grandpa took us on, we have always loved those stories that our grandma would narrate to us, and we have always loved those mangoes that grew in our grandpa's orchards, we have always loved that cozy little bed where our grandma would make us sleep, we have always loved those chocolates that our grandpa would bring, we have always loved their comforting presence. But today, they are all alone. Some live in old homes, yet others live alone in humongous houses expecting their grandchildren to visit them.

Isn't it disheartening to hear that those people who taught us how to walk, read us our favorite stories, and cooked us our favorite dishes, are now suffering all alone because we haven't got enough time to spare a glance at them?

Isn't it disheartening for us to hear that those people who saved us from the wrath of our parents, cared for us when our parents couldn't love us like their children, are living all alone because we couldn't manage to stay that single night because we had a sleepover at our friend's house?

Our grandparents never left us alone. They made sure to stay by us through all our thick and thin moments. But when it came upon us to take care of them, we had nothing better to do than to run away from our responsibilities, giving various excuses of work, studies, family, friends, and whatnot. There's still time.

In those little homes, where we spent our summer, where we grew up as a child, where we got the taste of the best dishes, where we got so much love and affection, they are still waiting for us to come and meet them. They are still waiting for us to show some appreciation, love, and care while they are still alive.

Well, I am a bit emotional on these matters. After all, I love my grandparents. I was with them like their very own child has had a lot of effect on me. Every Sunday, I would run up to them and make them listen to everything that happened with me throughout the week. My grandma knows who my crush is, but not my mother.

My grandpa knows where I keep all my papers in which I haven't scored well, but not my dad. That's the beauty of having grandparents. They are like your most prominent pillars. So, why not celebrate this day with your grandparents? Before we do that, let's find out some tidbits about this day.

Grandparents' day falls every year in September. This holiday was not declared to sell flowers and cards or post on social media about how much you love your grandparents; it was announced so that kids could go and sit with their grandparents and make them feel special and happy. Do you know the person behind this day?

Declared by West Virginian Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, this day was brought to life with the support of her husband, Joseph L. McQuade. The couple was themselves great examples of awesome grandparents. The couple had fifteen children, forty-three grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. After being together for sixty years, Mr. McQuade died in 2001, and Mrs. McQuade died in 2008.

Mrs. McQuade did not envision this day to be filled with grand and pompous celebrations but little moments of happiness with families like family getaways, reunions, gatherings, and other get-togethers where the entire family would sit together and spend some quality time. While this is what she wanted people to do at individual levels, she wanted society to respect their grandparents, understand them emotionally and psychologically, and provide them with the love and affection they once gave us. In addition, it is a day of self-giving, sharing ideals, aspirations, and goals, setting an example, and supporting younger generations.

Though Mrs. McQuade generally referred to herself as just a housewife, her attempt to declare a day dedicated to all the world's grandparents proved that she was a great leader and a great person at heart.

When Jimmy Carter 1971 announced Grandparents' Day, he read the following proclamation:

Grandparents are our continuing tie to the near-past, to the events, beliefs, and experiences that so strongly affect our lives and the world around us. Whether they are our own or surrogate grandparents who fill some of the gaps in our mobile society, our senior generation also provides our community a link to our national heritage and traditions. We all know grandparents whose values transcend fads and pressures and possess the wisdom of distilled pain and joy. Because they are usually free to love, guide, and befriend the young without having to take daily responsibility for them, they can often reach out past pride and fear of failure and close the space between generations.