out of the mouths of babes

Unconditional love is an amazing thing.  And baffling sometimes.  The first time I understood unconditional love was when I had teenagers.  Agree?  They can be so frustrating, hateful, challenging, MEAN, irresponsible — arghh!  And yet, when they’re yours, you still love them!

Do you have kids?  Do you love them with all your heart?  You’d gladly take a bullet for them?  Step in front of a car for them?  Me too.  Do you have grandkids?  Does it amaze you that you could love these little ones as much as (or more than!) your own children? Do you hang on their every word?  Wait impatiently for their parents to post pictures of them?  Immediately stick their artwork on your fridge?  Me too.

Richie Coldcuts and I have been blessed with two granddaughters (5 and almost 4).  Less than 14 months apart, different as night and day.   A tempest and a willow.  Bold and brazen vs. quiet and mellow.  We couldn’t love them more.  No matter what they say (or don’t say), what they do (or don’t do), we’re smitten.  And it’s really impossible for them to hurt our feelings.  I love the honest truths that come from children.  They call it as they see it, and aren’t looking to spare feelings.  To illustrate my point, I’ll share the details of a recent face-time session with our darlings.

Miss Bold and brazen was ‘having a moment’.  From the beginning of the call she decided to shower us with ‘raspberries’.  Yes, the proverbial bblllppppptttthhh!  That was her message to us that day.  Her mom pleaded for nice manners, and a sweet message.  Nope.  Another very long bbblllppppttttthhhh!  Of course WE were trying not to laugh (you know, she’s just our granddaughter; not our problem; no pressure to make her be politically correct).  Trying a new tact, mom changed venue.  Out of the living room where the raspberry-er was sitting, and into the large, quiet, comfortable master bedroom closet where ‘Miss Quiet and mellow’ was decompressing with a video and minding her own business.  Did that sweet little one want to make Trixie and Pop-pop’s day?  Nope!  No raspberries, just a quiet doe-eyed look at the camera.  Too sweet to say ‘leave me alone’, but I think that’s what she was thinking.  Didn’t want to talk, no I-love-yous.  But, ever the pleaser, by the end of the call, she blew kisses and smiled, and made our day!  But don’t think for a minute that the raspberry-blower made it any less.  We love them both the same, and we know it’s not personal.  Unconditional love.  Ahhhh!