Grandma’s Hands
I’m intrigued by the work of hands, in how they can reach out, pull in, and tend to hearts. I’m in awe over how God has given me various talents in which to use my hands: sewing, crochet, crafts, cooking, writing as well as being able to nurture with hugs.
The hands in my feature picture are of my granddaughter Penelope (age 9) and mine (age 70). I am filled with joy to be able to share some of my gifts with her. Emotions gush when I think about this little girl and the times we have together, and memories of my life spent with my grandmother.
Penelope is a lot like me and nothing like me, rolled into the cutest ball of sweetness there is! Grandmas’ love of their granddaughters is like that, and we’re entitled. She created the pose for our picture. Even after her dad said we’ll take several different poses, she chose that one.
When I look at her smooth hands and feel how soft they are, I wonder: Did I ever have hands like that? It was when I was helping her learn to crochet that really made the hands stand out. It was a little difficult, but she persevered, looking forward to future projects. Then, months later, she wanted to make doll clothes. I was so excited. We started with my own sewing kit and some basic beginning steps. We used a pattern and did an outfit for Barbie. We only worked together a few times – these children be busy with all their activities. But last week my son said Penelope wanted to sew, she’d made an outfit for one of her American Girl dolls, total design including buttons. Hmm, I’m thinking is this a future designer over here?
This little girl loves her ballet, gymnastics, and swimming – and is a soccer player too. It must have been built into the genes, you know, the ones that skipped me! This is the part where she is nothing like me.
I’ll digress for a minute, I was not active in grade school – double dutch in the school yard, slug (a modified hand ball game) in my neighborhood, roller skating on the sidewalk; almost failed gym in high school – was saved when volleyball started and no one could play on my serve. Almost failed gym in college, field hockey was a joke, not for me – was saved again when they counted archery for gym credit too. I maintained the highest score for two years.
Penelope has lots of dreams and ideas, and is determined to find a way to do what’s on her agenda, like me. She knows that I love her, she knows that she is loved by her all of her family (both sides) – her mom took her to the Taylor Swift concert earlier this month, hello. My purpose here is the building of “bonds.” In subtle, and indirect ways the message of love, acceptance, and confidence either builds or is blown away.
My grandma (and grandfather) were my legal guardians. I watched grandma’s hands all of my childhood and young adult life. We lived in the South Bronx; a place where community was everything. Grandma had the respect and compassion of her neighbors and friends; she talked to and knew everybody. She was always a helping hand to family members and neighbors. She’d have stashes of cash hidden in certain pocketbooks in the closet, dollar bills tied in hankies, in her house dress, I swear you can’t make this stuff up. When funds were low, she’d send me to pull out the right pocketbook and we’d have what we needed. Couldn’t understand how she never totally ran out of food or money or time for me or others.
My morals, values, and faith started with Grandma on those city streets. I remember her saying that I teethed my teeth on the pews of our church – she was a church mother, so I was by her side in church too. Her faith was so apparent, although we never discussed her faith (how she developed it, why it was so important to her, and what about faith that keeps her grounded).
As a grandma myself, I get to weave in and round the life of my granddaughter with an improved wisdom that only comes with the aging process. We are blessed that her mom and dad are able to fulfill their roles as parents, so I’m not needed there. Nevertheless, there are fights that must be fought and won in each generation. Grandmothers help toe the line.
I hope that Penelope and I will have strange conversations about faith, with all of the questions that I didn’t ask my grandmother. I’m the grandma who can help her guard the love of self and still be able to love out loud. I want to see her active in developing the gifts and talents she has, just because God is so good. She should know that who she is has nothing to do with what people say or don’t say or how they act or don’t act. Life happens to everybody! However, living a Christ-centered life teaches us not to get lost in regret, shame, pride, bitterness, or self-pity. I want to continue to be a model for her to be a Jesus seeker, learn from Him, grow in Him, find purpose in Him and inspire others to know Him.
To all of my cousins out there, don’t forget your “grandma’s hands” and don’t forget each other. Family is all a part of God’s plan from the beginning. Let’s have our own family celebration by reaching out to one another across a generation or two.
“Cousins are people that are ready-made friends, you have laughs with them and remember good times from a young age, you have fights with them, but you always know you love each other, they are a better thing than brothers and sisters and friends cause there all pieced together as one.” — Courteney Cox
I love this article and this really shows the similarity of me and my grandmother in a great way.
Awesome, my sweetheart, so glad you liked the article. Praying you continue to grow and be the special person God created you to be!