One of My Fondest Memories

Four years ago today, on March 22, 2002, I began one of the greatest experiences of my life. My grandmother and I have always had a special bond. Although a grandmother is not supposed to pick favorites among her grandchildren (and though I know she wouldn't call me her "favorite"), I have had a closeness to her that is something I treasure. My cousin Susannna was born 3 weeks before me, so she was my grandmother's first grandchild. However, Susanna's family lived in Philadelphia, and my grandmother lived near my family in Los Angeles, so after flying out to Philadelphia for Susanna's birth, my grandmother returned home in time for mine. So, for the first 2 or 3 years of my life, I was the only grandchild nearby my grandmother, and she and I spent lots of time together. This bond has continued throughout my life, and at times I have felt closer to her than even to my parents (particularly during my anti-parent teenage years).

My grandmother had dreamed since she was a young girl of visiting Ireland. I remember, while I was growing up, asking her if she could visit anywhere in the world, where would she like to go, and she said Ireland without hesitation. However, as she began to grow older and had never left the United States, that dream began to fade, and she said she had given up on it completely years ago.

Then, in November 2000, I moved to Europe to study French. Once I became familiar with the continent and was comfortable traveling around from place to place, I began to try to convince my grandmother to come for a visit. I promised to make all the arrangements and do all the driving and make sure she was ok; all she had to do was come along and enjoy herself.

So, in March of 2002, my 82-year-old grandmother who had never left the United States beyond Tiajuana, Mexico, and Niagara Falls, Canada, flew with my cousin Nathan and met me in Brussels, Belgium. The three of us spent the next 10 days in Belgium, Netherlands, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and of course, Ireland. Seeing my grandmother's face as we stood near the Blasket Islands on the Dingle Peninsula (where the picture above was taken) and hearing her comment in amazement that she never thought she would make it there, was one of the most fulfilling and wonderful moments of my life. My grandmother had given me so much in my life, and now I was able to help her make her dream come true. It doesn't get much better than that.

Postscript- I spoke to my grandmother this morning. She is now 86 years old, in wonderful health, lives in her own place, keeps a garden in the summer, and walks several miles for exercise each week. Aside from having to wear a hearing aid now, you'd never know she was within shooting distance of 90. Today we reminisced about our trip and once again I was reminded how true it is that we so often get things switched around in our minds. I will often be so focused on the plans I have for bringing myself pleasure and fun, but those fun times can often be fleeting and unsatisfying. How much more lasting is the satisfaction of befriending a neglected child, of visiting and cooking dinner for a sick friend, or of making a wonderful lady's dream come true. This is about as serious as I have ever been on this blog, but maybe this thought can encourage someone to look a little bit beyond your routine and responsibilities and look for an opportunity to do something for someone else in your life. All in all, I don't think that would be a bad thing.