Just Being a Grandparent
This article is courtesy of Mature Living.
Being a grandparent is a unique and wonderful experience that my wife and I share. Although our grand-children live far away, they are constantly on our minds. Every year we look forward to a summer visit from our granddaughter Chelsey, who spends a week at our home. A bit of planning is necessary to ensure that our 8-year-old bundle of energy never gets homesick or bored. A visit to Grandma and Grandpa’s house not only gives Mom and Dad a sometimes needed break, but it also allows Chelsey to experience a different en-vironment.
About a month prior to her visit, I asked Chelsey over the phone what she wanted to do while she was here. She replied, “You know, Grandpa, there’s something I’ve always wanted to do but have never been able to do it.”
With my curiosity at its peak, I asked, “What could that possibly be, dear?”
“Go fishing.”
“Well,” I answered, “I know just the right place for fishing.”
“But, Grandpa, if we do catch a fish, I don’t want to have to eat it,” she explained.
“What do you want to do with it then?” I asked.
“I just want to throw it back into the water so that it can keep swimming around.”
I made arrangements to rent a row boat and all the needed safety equipment so that Chelsey and I could spend a morning fishing at Little Bear Lake, a favorite trout pond not far from our home. I had not been fishing in over four years.
When the week of Chelsey’s visit arrived, we spent a nice weekend together. Finally her mom and dad had to leave for the city. The next day, because the weather was not ideal for fishing, we went to the library. We picked up two videos, Mary Poppins and Hans Christian Andersen, along with two books of her choosing.
Chelsey enjoyed the movies even though they were made more than 30 years ago. My wife and I enjoyed watching them just as much as she did. That evening Chelsey and I checked out all the fishing gear in the garage. Tomorrow was to be the big day.
Grandma packed us a lunch, and we left the house early in the morning. Our little rowboat and life jackets were waiting for us at Little Bear. Soon we were drifting along the shoreline, Chelsey dragging a dew worm and I diligently playing with a red-and-black spinner.
It took about an hour before we had our first bite. As soon as I set the hook, I exchanged rods with her. Chelsey was extremely excited and asked hundreds of questions as she struggled to bring the rainbow trout to the side of the boat.
The look on her smiling face when she first got a glance at the fish was worth all the effort that went into the fishing trip. The trout was hooked through the lower lip. She was overwhelmed by the colors that ran down the side of the trout. I lifted it out of the water so that she could have a better look at it.
“I know why they call it a rainbow trout, Grandpa,” she said. “Because it has a rainbow on its side. Right?”
“Right.” I answered. “Are you sure you don’t want to take him home for supper?”
“No, we’d better let him go now.”
I gently eased the fish back into the water, and soon he kicked his tail fin and swam away. Chelsey never hooked a fish with her worm, but I managed to catch two more, which I let her bring in. All in all, it was a trip we both will remember for a long, long time.
The rest of the week went quickly. Each evening we walked along the marina to the ice cream store. We watched the boats come and go as we ate our rocky road ice cream cones. We spent the days shopping, swimming at the beach, and strolling through the provincial park along the majestic trails, sometimes spotting a deer. The three of us, enjoying each other’s company, strengthened family bonds that will last for a lifetime.
Soon the visit was over, and we drove Chelsey back to Edmonton and her eagerly awaiting parents.
A final thought: Everytime a child is born, a new grandma and grandpa are created.
Robert H. Miller, Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada, is retired from the Canadian Armed Forces. He enjoys woodworking and gardening.