I remember when my daughter announced she was having a baby, a friend reached out to me. He had three grandchildren and told me to get ready for the most incredible ride ever. I said okay, I am ready. Then message after message after message started pouring in. The same thing every time. “Get ready, you will love it.” “A love like nothing before,” and on and on.
Y’all were right. All of you. I had no idea that a love on this level existed for my granddaughter. She is now 16 months old and I cannot get enough of her. When she was born, it wasn’t emotional, but overwhelming. Holding her, I felt my grandpa’s presence. My mother’s presence.
Overwhelming.
The best part is that my little little, as I call her, just knows me as grandpa. Plain and simple. Not the many mistakes and screw-ups in my life. Not the self-inflicted disasters that I started. None of that she will know. Just a grandpa who thinks she hung the moon and the stars and everything else in sight.
I have written before about the massive impact my grandfather had on me growing up. Not having a father around, he was my guy in everything. Not once did he put down my father, who he had every right to do, but he never did. “Eye on the ball, just keep your eye on the ball.” I can hear him saying that so vividly that it is almost scary. He passed away in 1987 yet he still impacts me every day.
Yes, the “play with her and get her all riled up and hand her back to mom and dad” is very much in play, as many of you guys mentioned. That is fun but to see my daughter in her role as a mom, holy cow, now that is absolutely beautiful. Watching her interactions and reading to her and showing her love is emotional in every single way.
My little little will continue to shine in this world and I will continue to thank Jesus every single day for all the moments this grandpa gets to experience. Y’all were right.
