You all know the Aretha Franklin song about RESPECT! We were happy to seen an article in the January issue of Lutheran Magazine by Jonathan Cordero and Don Waisanen.
When we were kids, grandparents were not doing all the work, all the gift-buying or all the entertaining. Exactly when did that start happening?
We see this happening all around us. Grown "children" calling with all kinds of problems to be solved by their parents. Adult children with children of their own and houses of their own expecting to be entertained and helped by the older generation. When did this start, exactly?
When I was a kid, we would drive out to West Toronto to bring the grandparents up to our house for Christmas dinner and gift opening. It wasn't all roses. One year my grandmother asked what I would like. As they were very fashionable at the time, I asked for a "robe necklace of beads". This was a fairly long necklace of colored beads and not too expensive.
When I opened the first box, there was a short necklace - not stylish at all and it was not going to be attractive on me. I smiled and thanked my grandparents.
In the next box, there was another necklace, just like the first, only a different color. I smiled and thanked my grandparents.
The third box I opened revealed the same item in a different color. Obviously, a pattern was forming and Mother told me she needed some help in the kitchen.
When we got there, she told me she knew this was not what I hoping for but to please act happy because Grandma had meant well when she bought them.
I happily opened five boxes containing five necklaces and no harm was done. Grandma never knew and my mother bought me a more suitable strand of beads after.
My point is that it did not kill us to be extra kind to grandparents.
I remember my grandfather as being rather stern - he had been a policeman, you see. Grandmother was a very gentle lady with wonderful knitting and crocheting skills which she was happy to pass on to me.
Where did we go wrong? What happened to a little respect - just because we are older now? It surely must be our turn to sit back and let the younger ones do for us.
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