No Matter Their Size or Shape, Grandmas Are Great

My mother had several Bibles. Some, she used basically for reference or footnotes. One, she read every day. She carried a particular one to church each Sunday until the cover literally wore out then she began taking the Scofield Bible that Matt gave her.

I find interesting things in her Bible, in addition to God’s Word. She clipped items from newspapers, or stuck birth announcements or obituaries between the pages, Billy Graham’s column, My Answer, and other bits and pieces she wanted to keep.

Just the other day, I found a newspaper clipping which was simply titled, “What Is a Grandma?” It was written by a third grader. Mom was Grandma to eight little boys and five little girls. She thought this little girl’s viewpoint was amusing. Here it is:

A grandmother is a lady who has no children of her own so she likes other people’s little girls. (A grandfather is a man grandmother. He goes for walks with the boys and they talk fishing and things like that.)

Grandmas don’t have anything to do except be there. It is enough if they drive us to the supermarket where the pretend horse is, and have lots of dimes ready, or if they take us for walks, they should slow down past pretty leaves and caterpillars. They should never say, “Hurry up!”

Usually, they are fat but not too fat to tie kids’ shoes. They wear eyeglasses and funny underwear. They can take their teeth and gums off. It is better if they don’t typewrite or play except with us.

They don’t have to be smart only answer questions like why dogs hate cats and how come God isn’t married. They don’t talk visitors’ talk like visitors do, because it is hard to understand. When they read to us, they don’t skip words or mind if it is the same story again.

Everybody should have a grandma because grandmas are the only grownups who have got time.