A few weeks ago I was asked to go on a road trip with my grandma. Between my busy work and summer school schedule I wasn’t sure if I could squeeze in the time. But then again my grandma’s not getting any younger so I decided to take her up on this opportunity and say yes to the road trip. After spending all weekend driving and staying in different hotels, I learned a few things I may not have if I would have said no.
1. She can do it!
My grandma is 89 years young and this whole road trip was a constant battle between me wanting to help her, and her saying she can do it by herself. I learned that no matter how much you want to help grandma, she can do it.
2. Naps are a good thing.
When I was a kid I hated taking naps and now that I’m in my 20s I have been wishing I still took naps but I can never seem to find the time. According to grandma, we all need a little nap in our lives. Even if it is a 20 minute nap, it can change our whole attitude and energy level for the rest of the day.
3. Grandma says she knows best, and she actually does know best.
I used to think that the advice my grandma gave me was so old school and that she didn't understand what it was like nowadays, but I was wrong. In fact, it turns out that although time has changed, the advice she gives me still applies and works. I learned this weekend that when grandma says watch me be right, I am actually going to be watching her be right.
4. You are beautiful and every guy that is passing you up is missing out.
Every time I see my grandma she asks if I have a boyfriend. My response is “I have friends that are boys.” She always comes back with a little speech every grandma feels obligated to say to their granddaughter, about how “I am beautiful and everyone is missing out.” Well this weekend since we had so much time to spend together, this speech got a little more in depth and truthful. It went from “they are missing out” to “you don’t even need a guy, nobody is worthy enough anyways.”
5. They remember everything.
This road trip was like the ultimate throwback reminder. There were constant stories about myself as a kid, my dad as a kid, and even stories about my grandma as a kid. It was crazy about how many small details a grandma can remember.
6. There’s no tricking grandma.
This one goes hand in hand with number five. You cannot trick your grandma because like I said, they remember everything. Although after the attempt to trick grandma, she may lead you to believe she actually believes you, but really she doesn’t. you can't lead her into thinking she did something because she knows she didn’t.
7. It shall pass.
The purpose of this road trip was to visit my brother and watch him play baseball. The hardest critic in someone’s life is themselves. So even though my brother had a phenomenal game he thinks about the things he should have changed or the one bad pitch. But I learned this weekend from the little speech my grandma gave my brother that one bad thing is nothing to a million great things. I am where I am today because of the one bad thing that shaped me and the million great things that got me through that.
8. She sees everything.
As you get older eye sight gets worse for people, but for my grandma, no matter how bad her eye sight is, she still sees everything. My grandma leads us to think she can’t see, but I secretly think she can. If she couldn’t, then how can she can see me secretly recording her, or how can she can call the balls and strikes in my brother’s games?
9. What happens with grandma stays with grandma.
Kind of like the Vegas saying, what happens with grandma stays with her. This is because of one reason. Usually what you are asking grandma is because mom and dad already said no and grandma always says yes to their granddaughters, but they know mom and dad said no. You guys are on the same side so neither one of you wants to get in trouble; it's a secret for the both of you.
10. Make fun of yourself.
Like I said in number nine, I like to secretly record my grandma and catch her at her funny moments. Somehow she can always tell when I’m recording her. Most people would stop but she doesn’t, she just laughs and continues to be goofy.
I am so happy I said yes to this road trip because I learned so many great life lessons. To anybody that has the opportunity to get closer to and spend more time their grandma, I say do it. They won’t be around much longer and they will be extremely grateful for it.
