Today, July 26th, is Saint Joachim and Saint Anne´s Day, and many countries with a Catholic tradition celebrate Grandparents´ Day (Saint Joachim and Saint Anne were the Virgin Mary´s parents, and therefore, baby Jesus´s grandparents).

(Willowtree figurines that we once upon a time gifted to my parents and in-laws)

What a special relationship, that of grandparents with their grandchildren! A bridge between generations.

I got to meet three of my four grandparents; today they´ve been top of mind for me. And my daughters, thankfully, have met their four grandparents, and have been able to spend time with them over many summers and Christmases. I will always remember my father playing with Irene, my eldest daughter, shen she was about two years old: on the floor, building towers of megablocks! I don´t remember ever seeing him sitting on the floor playing with us. But that´s exactly what people say: the joy of having grandchildren is totally different to that of having children. Children are for you to educate; grandchildren, for you to enjoy.

Now it´s my brother and sister-in-law´s turn to enjoy being grandparents, and I have to say I´ve never seen them happier. I also hope to become a grandmother someday (though let´s make it clear that there´s no rush at all, OK girls? Let me repeat that: NO RUSH), so that, when the moment comes, I can enjoy that tender feeling and that complicity with my grandchildren.

What about you? What do you remember about your grandparents? Do you agree with these phrases?

A baby has a way of making
a man out of his father
and a boy out of his grandfather.

Angie Papadakis

Grandparents are the best kind of grownups.

(Anonymoous)

There is nothing like grandchildren in your arms
to put a smile on your face,
a lump in your throat and a warm feel in your heart.

(Anonymoous)