My Grandmother Margaret is 83, or 84 years old now. That means she is over 40 years old than myself.
My earliest memories of my grandmother are sleeping in her bed when I was at her house and good home cooked meals including macaroni and cheese, collard greens, fresh tomatoes grown in her garden outside and always an apple pie made from scratch. Yum, yum. The memories make my mouth water.
I recall my grandma, as I called her, smelling every so slightly of Avon, whether it be Candid perfume or another perfumed lotion, the name of which I can't remember. My grandma always had a hefty shoulder for me to lean on and a soft, full lap for me to sit on.
Today's 21st century grandmothers are quite different from the grandmothers of days past. One, they no longer want to be called "grandmother" or "grandma" in public or private. They have their grandchildren call them "Nana" or "Lulu" or some other made up name that is anything but Grandma or the semblance of Grandma.
Then, the grandmothers of today are typically fit, trim, and going to the gym. In many instances they look younger and are in better shape than their children.
Because we live in such a fast paced world, with no time for gardening, the vegetables come from the store or the bag or the can. Grandma now smells of fragrances that are sophisticated and expensive, gone are the Avon bargains of yesteryear.
I look at my own mother, who is a grandmother now. She is slimmer than myself, looks good, is poised and relatively healthy. Many times, she is mistaken for my sister when we are out, especially since I have an increasing number of gray hairs in the front of my hair, which are very quickly endeavoring to reach her numbers sooner than they should.
Grandmas today are a new breed, yet are grandmas nevertheless. It is always a joy to see the affection shown by grandmother's to their grandchildren. The hugs, and kisses, and the happiness of seeing their progeny, appreciating that special part of them that they don't have the responsibility to raise (usually.) Also, it's awfully nice to be on the receiving end of a grandma's hugs and affection, too, whether you call them Grandma or Lulu or Nana.
Writing and Publishing Tip:
When writing on the Internet, don't do so for exposure. The Internet is so vast...Don't buy the line that a publication isn't making money so it can't afford to pay you. Webzines have low-start up and production costs compared with print pubs, so they don't have to generate the same level of revenue to be profitable. And it's a strange idea that writers should pony up with their work when everyone else involved in a site in being paid.
Except taken from Online Markets for Writiers by Anthony Tedesco and Paul Tedesco.
Inspirational thought of the day:
Giving what you can. Sometimes, you may go through changes in life. Change is inevitable. Life circumstances change, habits change, health changes. All things affect the person you are. At various times in life you may find you have more to give than at other times. It's important to be true to yourself and appreciate where you are in relation to what are you feeling and doing and openly communicate that with the people in your life. For dear friends and loved ones, keep them abreast of your feelings and keep giving what you can, for in reality that's all you can ever give .
Copyright 2005 Paula Lonergan.
All rights reserved.