Smacksy once wrote something about her grandmother (here) that stuck with me. Aside from the awesome photo and delightful story about her, I thought the idea alone was great:
Give grandparent(s) an empty journal, and write a question (relating to their life) on every other page. Have them fill it out at their leisure, and enjoy reading their answers later.
And so, I bought my grandparents a [joint] journal, in which I gave both of them enough space to fill out their [separate] answers. I thought long and hard about each question, one different in their curiosity from the next. While one question was as simple as "What is your favorite song?", the next could be as weighty as "What is your favorite memory, and why?". I found myself getting choked up at the possibility of what and who would find their way onto the pages of this book... well-thought answers, possible confessions, sincere sentiments that were too hard to speak in person. I imagined what it will feel like when I am in my 40's when I'm reading the journal with my children and thinking about my grandparents as a memory. This, of course, made me feel a sense of incredible thankfulness that I still have them around now, and it renewed my appreciation of these two wonderful people who happen to live only 40 miles away from me. Suddenly I was eager to sit next to them at the Christmas table the following day, and I vowed to never take these days with them for granted again.
When the extended family gathered around my parents' living room to open their presents on Christmas day, I had hoped to take a moment to pull my grandparents to the side. In the confusion of flying paper and "thank you!'s", I wanted to calmly and quietly explain the meaning behind the almost-empty-book they were about to open.
Before I could make my way across the room however, my grandmother's fingers had already ripped the wrap off and flipped through the first few pages of the journal. And then...
I watched her fling it over her shoulder... much like a child who'd just received a pair of socks.
In the hopes that my explanation would change her feelings toward the gift, she cut me off with, "I know what it is, and I don't like gifts that make me work."
∞
I suppose the gift was more for me than for them. But don't think I didn't remind her that I also bought her a pair of earrings. Ahem. At least Grandpa promised to fill out as much as "he could remembuh."
Sunshine Grandpa, Christmas 2009:
p.s. Lisa, I think my grandfather in the first photo looks a little like your Jeff. ???
6 comments:
I already love your grandma.
And you know I adore that new picture of your grandpa SO much. He did look Jeff-ish!
We didn't suspect Jeff's grandma would want to "work" either so his cousin asked her questions and videotaped the "interview" when all of the cousins were at our house one night, which is a whole other brand of awesome.
I love that idea! I hope your grandmother decides to fill out at least a few pages. What a beautiful heirloom that would be.
Your grandfather looks like the ideal grandpa.
Garsh. I was getting a little teary at the mere sentiment and visualization of what the answered book would bring to your life. That reminds me so very much of my own mother. I gave her a grandmother book to fill out when I was pregnant with my firstborn. I was shocked that she returned it (several months after my daughter was born)...80% filled in after the slight tantrum that she threw when I presented it to her in the beginning of my pregnancy. tee hee...I LOVE the photos. Your grandfather looks so adorably loveable in the last photo!
LOVE your blog, too! :0) It's quite enjoyable.
I'm doing my part, working on "my so called life". Keep after your grandma, maybe she would prefer being interviewed? Not a week goes by that I say to myself...."wish I had asked Mom or Dad about that"! I would really like to know where some of these paintings came from and if any are worth $100,000! I wish I had asked my grandmother more but she wrote out a wonderful family history and memories of her childhood, which included a tornado near where your Mom grew up! Your blog is wonderful history and we have got to back it up, photos and all.
ML
Hahahahahaha.
Ahem.
I think I love your grandma. And I know I love your grandpa. Look at that face!
You gotta love how honest old people are.
hahah. your grandma sounds fiesty, and like Erin said, I think I love her too.
(BUT THE IDEA IS FANTASTIC.
My grandma is here visiting from Bulgaria to see her great grandchild be born, so I may just have to spend time asking her some questions about her life.)
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