I am currently in Bangkok, Thailand to give several leadership presentations. I will summarize the trip next week, but I thought today I would see if you could guess what I am thinking when I ask, “What is one of the greatest things in life?”
You probably have a few good guesses such as: Being blessed with great parents, finding your life partner, or becoming a parent. Alternatively, maybe it’s realizing the importance of your religious beliefs, being a member of the winning sports team, or contributing your time, talent and treasure to an important charity or nonprofit.
These are all wonderful guesses, and are all very important. However, as I sat on the 16-hour flight to Bangkok this weekend, I found myself reflecting on one particular blessing above all.
Give up?!?!
Well, it is becoming a grandparent!!!
If you are surprised, join the club. When several of my friends had grandchildren and became extremely excited, my honest first personal private reaction was, “What’s the big deal?” My logic was that since Julie and I were already blessed to have five children, becoming a grandparent would not be much different. What’s the big deal?
Wrong! Very wrong! Becoming a grandparent is an unbelievably big deal!!! I could tell you that I will not bore you with how great it is to become a grandparent and tell you that I won’t share several pictures, but that would be untrue. My five children have already asked me several times, “Dad, how is it possible that you have more pictures of one nine-month-old baby then all the pictures of all five of us combined during our entire lives?”
Yes, I do try to explain that back in the dark ages we all had cameras that required you to develop the pictures, and by the time the pictures were developed, the children were several years older versus our current ability with smart phones to take thousands of pictures that are available instantly.
Why is becoming a grandparent such a big deal? I thought about this a lot on the long plane flight to Thailand. I am realizing that there is something about your children having children that is truly remarkable. When Julie and I raced over to Evanston Hospital, and Suzie and Casey let us hold little Harrison for the first time, I was speechless (and yes, I know what you’re saying, Harry is never speechless… that sounds like an oxymoron🤣🤣), but honestly, it is true!
I am starting to realize that with your own children very often you have so many balls in the air that it is sometimes hard to focus on all of the amazing events and milestones as your children grow day by day. That is why I constantly remind people to take some time for self-reflection and make sure you focus on trying to enjoy every single day that you have on this earth. Every day is truly a blessing.
Thanks Harry for the reminder to celebrate our children and grandchildren and above all to be grateful for this incredible gift.
It’s what we’re here for, Harry.
Harry, well said! I would add that grandchildren also remind us of how great children were at similar ages. We can’t rewind the clock but we can savor the memories.
So true every word you said. God has truly blessed us to have lived so long to enjoy our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Harry — great post about grandchildren. I feel the same about our grandkids. Love Thailand too! Philcorse@ hotmail.com | taught some marketing courses at Kellogg