“Grandparents are the original influencers. They shaped our parents, which means they basically shaped us too.”
As a teen, I’m at that stage where I’m figuring life out. School, friends, future plans, and why adults get hyper about us eating at KFC or McDonald’s? In the middle of all that chaos, my grandparents are my anchor.
I have been blessed to receive the love from both my paternal and maternal grandparents, and that double dose of wisdom and care is something I don’t take lightly.
Grandparents’ Day matters because it reminds me to look up from my own life. My grandma doesn’t need to say much. She shows love by making sure I’ve eaten, even when I claim I’m not hungry. My grandpa gives advice in the form of stories that start with “When I was your age…” and end with a lesson I didn’t know I needed. Sure, I roll my eyes sometimes. But later, I realize he was right. They’re funny in ways they don’t even intend. Grandma still writes passwords in a diary titled “Don’t Open,” and Grandpa thinks every tech problem is solved by blowing on it like an old cassette. But behind those quirks is a kind of wisdom you can’t Google. They’ve lived through things I only read about in history textbooks, and they did it without complaining on social media.
What I respect most is their perspective. When I stress about a test, Grandma reminds me that marks aren’t everything. When I’m upset over something silly, Grandpa tells me, “This too shall pass,” and somehow it does! But moreover, they’ve shown me that problems get solved by prayer and patience, not panic. They’ve taught me that resilience isn’t loud. It’s showing up every day, making tea for the family, and choosing kindness even when life gets hard.
I’m growing up, and I know I won’t always live down the hall from them. So Grandparents’ Day is my reminder not to take this time for granted. To ask them questions while I still can. To listen, really listen, before their stories become memories I wish I’d recorded.
So thank you to my big mama and mummy for making sure my favorite meal was on the table, or sending it over in case we couldn’t make it. Thank you to my big dada for being as good as a F1 driver when it comes to driving a car and for allowing me to be a passenger princess. Thank you to my daddy for remembering every snack we liked and making sure it was waiting for us when we got home.
To all the grandparents, and the granduncles and grandaunts who are nothing short of grandparents: you’ve shown up for us in a thousand quiet ways, so today we’re turning the spotlight on you. We may be young, but we see you and we’re truly grateful.
Jiselle Ozorio Fernandes Post Confirmation Student