Granddaughter Discovers a New Hero
When the phone call came a few months back offering a Steinbeck Fellowship in Creative Writing at San Jose State University, my 26-year-old daughter was thrilled at the academic opportunity, financial support to work on a novel, and the honor of being associated in some small way with one of her literary heroes.
Little did she know that the real prize would be in discovering a new hero in a person she has long known though only through short visits. I will now let Dallas take over . . .
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I’ve been living with my maternal grandparents in the Bay Area for almost three months now. Daily life with these two full-of-life octogenarians has been a true gift. My grandparents are insightful, intelligent, kind, hardworking and often hilarious. And their love for each other warms my spirit.
I have especially learned a great deal from watching and listening to Grandma. Here is a woman who grew up during the Great Depression and World War II, and learned from her mother how to live with the utmost frugality.
She later graduated from college and earned a Master’s degree (when this was far more rare for women) and then worked full-time as a teacher while raising four children – often largely by herself, as Grandpap traveled greatly for his job.
Grandma is the matriarch of our family, always going out of her way to see that her children and grandchildren are happy and well fed and comfortable.
She also talks each and every day to her sister, who lives near Pittsburgh where they grew up as kids; interacts with a wide network of friends; and volunteers through various organizations. Grandma is a vibrant role model.
I’m so proud of the woman Grandma is – and proud to be her granddaughter. Here are some lessons, small and large, that I’ve learned from living with her these past few months.
Show Your Love. My grandma isn’t one to say “I love you” all that often. She says she can’t really remember her parents ever telling her they loved her, but she always knew they did because of their loving actions. Grandma is continually doing kind things for the people she cares about. Indeed, her caring gestures say “I love you” every day.
Always Bring a Jacket. It can be sunny out, but you never know when the weather is going to turn for the worse.
Always Bring a Snack. You don’t want to be hungry. Stick a granola bar in your purse, at the very least.
Be Early. My grandma is nearly always the first person at the movie theater, picking the best seat in the house. Like Goldilocks, often she’ll change her mind two or three times before settling on the seat she thinks is just right.
The Freezer is Your Friend. Grandma firmly believes in “waste not, want not.” All leftovers are refrigerated unless she thinks we won’t eat them right away, in which case into the freezer they go. Casseroles, lasagna, bread, cookies, pies – everything can be frozen and resurrected later. The woman wastes nothing. It’s amazing.
Soup is Super. If you don’t know what to cook for dinner, raid the fridge and make soup. You can’t go wrong with a pot of chicken stock and diced veggies.
Walk Daily. Every morning, even when her arthritic hip is acting up, Grandma puts on her tennis shoes and goes for a walk around the neighborhood. She also believes in exercising early before the craziness of the day sets in.
Escape The Indoors. If the sun is shining and the breeze isn’t too cold, Grandma finds time to enjoy the fresh air in a lounge chair on the patio; reading, talking on the phone, maybe enjoying an afternoon nap.
Forgive “Yo-Yo Heads.” My grandma’s favorite term for someone who disappoints is a “yo-yo head.” According to her, we are all yo-yo heads sometimes. So be patient with each other.
I enjoyed reading “Travels With Charley” but I am really loving “Living With Grandma (and Grandpap).”
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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for the Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. His new memoir WOODEN & ME is available at www.WoodyWoodburn.com and Amazon.com.