Fraternity-Testvériség, 2010 (88. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2010-07-01 / 3. szám
Fraternity I Testvériség Grandparents’ Day: September 12th Kathy A. Megyeri raditionally, the first Sunday after Labor Day is set aside to honor our nation’s grandparents. Marian Mc- Quade of Oak Hill, West Virginia is recognized as the founder of this day as her goal was to educate youth in her community about the important contributions seniors have made throughout history. In 1973, Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WVA) introduced the resolution for a national holiday, but it wasn’t until 1978 that President Jimmy Carter signed the proclamation to honor grandparents and to help children become aware of the strength, information and guidance older people can offer. In 2004, an official song for that day was recorded, A Song for Grandma and Grandpa by Johnny Prill. Today, we even have an official flower designated for the day, appropriately the Forget-Me-Not. During my career as an English teacher for 34 years, I was amazed to read so many student written compositions that attested to the positive impact that grandparents have on teens. Maybe I was personally affected because I was so young when both sets of my own grandparents died and my memory of them is cloudy. But today’s seniors are living longer and many live in close proximity to their grandchildren so their efforts to maintain positive relationships with their grandchildren usually pay huge dividends. I particularly recall a few student submissions that demonstrate the impact of this relationship and share them with readers as we celebrate National Grandparents’ Day this September 12th. One boy remembered that his grandfather bought him his first set of golf clubs for his birthday and attended his baseball and basketball games at school. He wrote, “It always makes me happy when I see him in the stands because that makes me want to win and play harder. It seems that the older I get, the closer we get. Eventually, we can do more adult events together, and then I will love him all the more.” Still another boy thanked his grandmother who helped him when his dad started dating after his parents divorced. He recalled, “I got so mad at the girl my dad was dating that I didn’t know what to do. I was heartbroken because I was not about to share my dad with anyone. But it was my grandmother who helped me to understand that my dad had to move on with his life and that I too was now an adult. Because of my grandmother’s talks with me, I started to accept my step-mother-to-be. Eventually, it was just like having my mom and dad together, and I was thrilled when my dad and my stepmother asked me to be the best man in their wedding. I don’t think I ever would have accepted her if my grandmother had not helped me to understand that relationship.” In one assignment, I asked students to write a thank-you note to the one person who impacted their lives above all others; overwhelmingly, they wrote to grandparents. Some students wrote original material that they delivered at their grandparents’ funerals, and their creativity and poise when they delivered such works humbled me. One such eulogy included three lessons that a boy’s grandfather taught him: that family is the most sacred bond of all, that hard work is the only way to accomplish difficult tasks, and that one can survive when all odds are against you. His eulogy written in verse, printed and then sung, honored his grandfather who was raised in China, emigrated to the US, and established a string of successful Chinese restaurants but who didn’t attain his citizenship until 1985 and then died three years later. Grandparents, if ever you doubt your contribution to today’s youth, let me remind you that your grandchildren may write about your unique personality, your family’s history, and your accomplishments in a composition one day for their English teacher. Some may even eulogize you in song or poetry at your funeral, but know today that you are appreciated, valued and loved. Happy Grandparents’ Day to you all! 19
