Grandparents

No one really pays any attention to it until it happens. But it does; and then it hits you. Your grandparents die. If your grandparent(s) are still alive, make sure you spend time with them. Here is a small list of things that you could do.

1. Take pictures with them. And make small (video) clips.

Make use of the technology and preserve the memories. These pictures will forever be a constant source of happiness filled with sweet memories for you.

2. Take them out for a nice meal

When your parents take over the household financials, your grandparents start losing the sense of relative cost of everything. They find everything overly expensive. Take them out for a nice meal. They may quarrel with you over how expensive the food is but deep down, it means the world to them.

3. Take the money they give you and spend it.

Your birthdays, and religious holidays (eid, christmas, etc.) will be an opportunity for them to spoil you with money. Take the money and spend it. Nothing would please them more than to see that they have provided for you. Same applies with the food you’re offered.

4. Remind them of your childhood memories

You have spent so much of your childhood in their arms and in their company. There are so many memories you may have. Though they hope for it, your grandparents don’t really expect that you would remember all these things. Discuss the memories and see how their faces light up.

5. Seek their advice

They have spent a significant amount of time in this world. They have met with millions of people and experiences. Their ideas, albeit outdated, would definitely be worth listening to

6. Don’t wait for them to be senile to tell them how much you love them

Don’t lose a single opportunity to tell them how much they mean to you and how much you love them. By this time, they have lost most of their family & friends. You are all they’ve got.

7. Last & Most Important: Spend time with them

While netflix & playstation are important, no doubt, spending time with your grandparents is valuable. Re-watching that friends episode you’ve already memorised will not be as cherishable as the 30 minutes spent with your grandparents.

Your grandparents dont only have fragile bodies, they have fragile hearts. Take care of them. Don’t force them to walk faster. Don’t force them to turn down the volume of TV and don’t criticize their oldschool habits. Sooner or later, they will pass on.