All over social media is the heartbreaking picture of "Papaw." If you haven't seen it yet, literally just look up the word I have in quotation marks. The story goes about a girl named Kelsey Harmon posting a picture of her "papaw" who had cooked up some delicious burgers for his 6 grandkids... the issue is that only one showed up when the picture was snapped. Since then, the post has gone viral with social media, and several news stories. When I first saw it, I was heartbroken for this poor man. I thought, "how could those grandchildren be so heartless to miss that dinner?" But that's when it hit me: Everyone is guilty of not showing up for that burger once or twice in their lifetime. Take that as literal or metaphorical, the truth still holds true.
No one ever means to neglect their grandparents. Life gets busy, and the older you get, you become acquainted with new people, new environments, and new priorities. The killer part is that you don't even realize it when things change for you so much. Aren't we all guilty of putting other things in front of loved ones? As much heat those 5 other grandchildren are still getting on social media, it has opened my eyes that I've been slacking a lot myself when it has come to my grandparents and keeping tabs on them. I love and adore my grandparents very much, and I am as guilty as anyone by taking the love they have for me for granted. I remember when I was younger, going to hangout with my grandparents was always the "best day ever." I went there a lot, so I had a lot of best days. They were the ones I talked to about the mean boys on the playground, the people I strained to finish art projects for, and the people who never hesitated to play a card game (or any game) with me at any time I wanted.
So when did things change? Why did life get so busy? These questions have popped in my head as I type these words out, but as i keep looking at them, I realize they are excuses. Simple as that. Really I should be saying that I let things change. Life was/is/will always busy, and I can't use being busy to justify anything. It's hard now to get real interaction now that I am off in college and living in a different city. Just recently, my grandfather was admitted into the hospital with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. That sucks enough as it is, but I hate that I am not able to be with him. Another thing that blows my mind is that I was just home last week. I was able to spend a lot of time with them last week, and it was such a blast. I made cookies with my grandma, and made jokes with my grandpa. Right now, there is no reason he shouldn't be able to recover, but I am extremely grateful for that quality time i had with them.
Grandparents are the kindest, most nurturing,and most loving people out there. It's never too late to change things until it is too late. Go get all the burgers you can get.
