Mark shared a story "On being a Grand Parent"

We are celebrating Families all weekend at Artfest and sharing stories. Mark shared a story:

" Last summer with my son and son-in-law, we led my granddaughters ages 5 and 2 on a four day wilderness canoe trip to Killarney. Memorable is an understatement.

Our favourite food: The truth that heaven on earth is bathing in the mystery of a star studded sky after a fire roasted feast of steak and taters and a healthy dose of smores.

A delightful memory: The yelps of delight on catching and releasing their first fish." (read more below).

On being a Grand parent.  Jan. 2019  

There once was a Zadie named Marcus

Whose grandkids raced all round the parkus

As he climbed through the trees

With kids hugging his knees

Exhausted, he fell on his carcus

Any of us over about the age of 65 know that nature was wise in making child rearing the domain of the young.  As much as Bubbies, Zadies, Sabas and Saftas, Grandpas, Grandmas and Papa’s who have been blessed with grand children love them to bits, it is with a smile of relief that we bid them farewell at the end of the day.

And yet the magic of that sacred bond that reconnects us to days gone by is a priceless gift indeed.

It is a gift to the sometimes beleaguered parents juggling mile long to do lists, and to our grandkids who delight in the anticipation of being spoiled while regular routines are occasionally thrown to the wind.

And for us alta cuckers,  it’s an opportunity to share a bit of the wisdom we’ve gleaned over the course of a lifetime.  That wisdom can take a myriad of forms.

If the grandkids live on Vancouver or Vienna, between the yearly visits perhaps it’s a delicious dose of a bedtime skype or facetime story.  In our prehistoric pre internet era, we could scarcely have imagined seeing one another as we shared time together online.

As my wife and I are blessed with children and four grand children who call Hamilton home, for us and our machatunim the joy is in being able to pick up the monkeys at daycare, sharing a spontaneous dinner, or running to the rescue. 

For me it’s the opportunity to be a kid again, to invent goody games, to  build a fort with the sofa cushions, and to accidentally on purpose break a good number of the rules.

Last summer with my son and son-in-law, we led Talia- age 5 and Mataya- age 2 on a four day wilderness canoe trip to Killarney.  Memorable is an understatement.

If you are of the “glass half empty” persuasion, you’ll relish the story of rolling down the van windows and cranking the rock music way up to drown out the screaming of an overtired toddler. Picture the meltdown of two young ladies being mercilessly attacked by relentless swarms of hungry mosquitoes. 

If on the other hand you tend to pitch your tent in the “glass half full” campground, you’ll smile from ear to ear knowing that the bonds of trust, camaraderie and love nurtured during those four perfect summer days, will last a lifetime.

You will also tend to focus on ………..

The yelps of delight on catching and releasing your first fish.

The realization that courage in the face of the unknown opens you to new vistas of endless possibility.

The truth that heaven on earth is bathing in the mystery of a star studded sky after a fire roasted feast of steak and taters and a healthy dose of smores.

The freedom of tossing aside your diaper while scrambling down the rocks into the cool, crystalline water.

Raise you glass (preferably a fine single malt) to chapter two of a summer saga that will become an enduring family tradition, as you intone the elder campers prayer.

Lord, Spare me the burden of the ignoble diaper, as I traipse humbly and incontinence free through the forest forever.

 Whatever your personal heaven may entail, here’s to sharing it with your children and grandchildren, or simply volunteering with one of our fine community organizations who will appreciate your unique take on life.