grandparents – Running Forward…My Way

Every week I like to take a moment and reflect on one thing that I am grateful for.

This week I would like to show gratitude for my grandparents.

I cherish my memories from my Boston-Irish childhood and my grandparents all played an active roll in my memories.

This week was the anniversary of my paternal grandfather’s death and the anniversary of the maternal grandmother’s death will occur this week and these anniversaries have put me in a reflective mood.

I was lucky enough to know all four of my grandparents.

Each of them was a pivotal link between me and our families past. All four of my grandparents were children of immigrants (3 from Ireland and 1 from Canada) and told me stories about my great-grandparents. I only have a few vague recollections of the only great-grandparent who lived long to meet me.

My grandparents instilled in me a sense of where I come from. From my grandparents, I learned to appreciate corned beef and cabbage and that food just tastes better when you fry it. I learned that punctuality was important and that you don’t leave the door open. I wasn’t born in a barn, after all. I learned the importance of working hard and the meaning of money. I also learned to be honest and was instilled with some good ‘ole Catholic guilt.