Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a grandparent as, a parent of your mother or father, however for so many these people are far more than just another relative, but an influential mentor in our lives. For many of us we grow up going to grandma’s house on Sundays for family dinners, or being able to count on grandpa as a constant spectator at our sporting event, or recitals. But unfortunately some of us have our time with these great sages cut short. We realize that we are so lucky to have had them in our lives and grateful for the time and memories we did share with them, but that still doesn’t seem to help the pain of missing them.

Some have the privilege of having their grandparents attend high school, and college graduations, see them get their first real world job, attend their weddings and some are even able to introduce them their great-grandchildren, while others may not get as much time as this. For some their grandparents are a few vivid memories and traditions that they have tried their hardest to engrain into their brains in order to hold on to those precious moments. Yet at the end of the day whether we spent 5, 10, 15 or 20 years of our lives with our grandparents, when we do lose them we realize the amount of time spent doesn’t help our minds to stop wondering, what if? What if Pop was here to see me play in the big game? I wonder if Gram would like my prom dress? I wonder if I would make them proud? We often find ourselves taking what we know of these special people and trying to come up with some kind of logical reaction that we think they may have to our latest life endeavor. And whether we notice it or not we can sometimes find our thoughts wandering into this train of thought due to the envy we feel towards those who are still able to share these special times with grandma and grandpa.

So to those kids, or even adults, who are still lucky enough to have time with your grandparents, please don’t roll your eyes at the thought of another Sunday dinner, or take that $20 that grandma slips you when you hug her goodbye without a gracious thank you, because so many of us would kill for one more of these special little moments. Also, make sure to thank them whenever you get the chance, because whether you notice it now or not, they shaped who you have or will become in some way, meaning they’ll always be a part of you. So whether you believe that your loved ones are somewhere looking over you after they have passed, or not, you know their presence in your life has left a mark on you that you will have forever to hang on to, one of the greatest gifts they could ever give to you.