Grandparents

I love grandparents.

When they look at your old photo albums, they coo and awe at every 3X5--even the ones from your most awkward of stages. The same goes for you and their crazy outfits; no matter how mismatched and outdated they dress, they are still the coolest grandparents in the world. Seriously, though, who else will come to every fifth grade girl's basketball game and every play after crappy school play? That's right, no one.Last week was my birthday, and I recieved the usual floral print, bible verse card from my grandparents in the mail a couple days late, as expected. That's okay though because the present, I knew, would be coming later in the week when we celebrated Mother's Day together. So, when I saw Grandpa Wayne--wearing a stylish stripped polo and bright blue fishing hat--walking toward me with a twinkle in his eye, I knew it was present-time.

Now, I have to tell you, my standards for grandparent gifts aren't too high. In the past they've been known to give anything from dead scorpion keychains to ruffly polar bear pjs, so when I saw a bit of green sticking out of grandpa's fist, I was notably pleased.

It turns out it was only a fiver. But, what was I expecting? I mean, I ONLY turned 18. I'm only legally an adult now. I only now have the right to strike it rich by means of the Hoosier Lotto while I smoke a vintage Cuban--cigar, obviously.

And then I remembered of all the memories: the games and plays and birthdays they've been too--not to mention the stifled laughs at every embarrassing school picture, I'm sure. Isn't that's worth more than five dollars. It is actually I who should be paying THEM five dollars--or more. Having to sit though an entire fifth grade girl's basketball game is worth ten dollars at least!

It all sounds pretty silly when you think of it, though. What kind of grandparent would take money from their grandchild even if they deserved it? They wouldn't. That's the point of being a grandparent.

It's actually kind of like God if you think about it. He gives us so much--some of it material, but most of it being purely out of the unconditional love of His true and flawless heart. He doesn't want anything back; what he wants us to do is pay it forward--pass it on.

I think I'll keep my fiver; maybe instead of giving it back to grandpa and grandma, I'll invest it in someone else--I'll just make sure that someone has their own slew of embarrassingly awkward pictures.