Dinner With A Princess

Last night I had dinner with a princess.  Her name is Chloe and she’s my granddaughter.  It began when I picked her up at karate school.  As soon as she saw me walk into the school I could see her excitement.  She yelled “Paw Paw”, then ran and jumped in my arms.  It truly warmed an old man’s heart.  I must be honest.  No one else gets this excited when I walk into a room.  I suspect some get excited when I leave a room.  We then headed to Dairy Queen where we feasted on Cheeseburgers and Blizzards.  Surprisingly  my blood sugar was not in the danger zone this morning.  It is difficult to put into words what it’s like to be a grandparent and to feel the love I have for my granddaughter as well as the love she has for me.  I can no longer imagine life before Chloe.  Parenthood is a long and mostly thankless job.  I have been a parent for 35 years.  I think I am done but it’s a job that is really never complete.  If you are lucky, being a grandparent is the reward for your years of toil raising your children.  My granddaughter has brought me nothing but joy.  Yes, I do worry about her and I am concerned about the world she must inhabit.  As long as I am alive I hope to be a positive influence on her.  I think she already is the only child in her class who know who Jerry Garcia, Buddha, and the Dalai Lama are.  She is a happy and joyful child with lots of enthusiasm for life if not for going to school and church.  When I am tired and weary, she is a boost of energy for me.  This is not to say that I don’t need a nap after she leaves my home.