June 19,2021

Good Morning everyone, today is June 19, 2021. It’s the Saturday of Father’s Day weekend. So I am celebrating the entire weekend, I feel I am untitled to that. Yesterday I shared that I would talk about father’s for the next few days and I am. I thought a lot about this yesterday, we all will talk about our fathers and I will to. We talk about new fathers, today I am going to celebrate Julian, my adopted third son at lunch during Colleens shower. Because we will have a new addition in about 6 weeks. So he will be a new father. We talk about men who have adopted children, adopted fathers, who raise and nourish in every way a child not of them. And in my life I am a father and once a new father but my role now is that of Grandfather. Somehow we don’t talk about that as much as we should so today that is what I want to talk about.

Now I have never experienced a grandfather because they had gone to eternal rest long before I was born, so this has been a new role for me , never having a role model.

Many, many years ago I read a short story by Tolstoy, The Granfather and His Grandson, I will relate quickly. The granfather had grown old and the peasant and his wife were nasty to him. One day he broke his dish, she screamed at him and told him he could no longer eat with them and she would not give him a dish but a wooden bowl and he would eat by the stove not at the table. A few weeks later the peasant and his wife saw their small son putting pieces of wood together o the floor.when they asked him what he was doing , he replied I’m making bowls for you and mama for when you get old.with tears in their eye they realized what they had done. From then on The Granfather ate at the table and gained a new respect. This has been one of my favorite tales for most of my life and through the years have read it to many students.

I guess the role of Grandfather is unique and special. The emotional closeness that children share with their grandparents is like nothing else it is not visable in any other relationship. Children feel happy and secure. Butalso deeply valued and cherished. Being who I am gives me the license to do many things a parent doesn’t one of my favorites is listen to the stories he tells no matter how uninteresting they are, to me the are great works in progress. Another is extending life stories with them, if I don’t teach them, they will never know because sometimes the parents don’t know. Making sure they are well cared for and their needs met, that is not really an issue here but who would go to store after store to find the right digestive biscuit for the morning, or stand in the toy aisle for 20 minutes and look at the same toys. Relaxing rules but guarding we don’t overdo. Doing activities. These are the things Bebop does.

So being a grandfather is very special work and it takes a lot of time and patience. I guess that’s what retirement is for. Again I emphasize the the role as keeper of the legacy, if it continues it can last 1000 years. So I want to wish all my friends and family who are grandfathers a Happy Fathers Day.

I didn’t mention weather today because I am out here on the porch speaking with you. A little cool but it is so peaceful. I can see the garden, my geraniums. The herb garden in full bloom. But a nut like me also sees all I need to do instead of relaxing. However, I vowed this weekend I was going to take it easy. We’ll see how that goes.

Well the coffee is ready so I’m going to indulge, have a great day, take a minute and think of your Bebop it could produce some nice results. We will talk soon. Til Tomorrow!