What Are They Good For?

As the straggler in a short line of hikers at Snow Canyon this weekend, I contemplated what grandmothers are for.



The answer: Grandmothers are good for nagging Grandfathers to hold on to the hand of the littlest hiker.



Grandmothers should not have to repeat this admonition 1432 times in a 40 minute hike. But Grandfathers have very short memories, and they forget at every turn that little people go where the bigger people go, especially when the "bigger people" are the older brother and sister whom the little person adores in every way.


But this Grandmother is very fortunate that she has a Granddaughter who is a Nurturer-in-Miniature, who always looks out for her little brother. Here Granddaugher is saying, "No, Brother. Stay down there!"





And he did.


Grandson definitely listens to Sister better than he listens to Grandmother.



Youngest Grandson says of Sister: "She's my friend. I love her."




Grandmother's nagging paid off....I'm just not sure who it was who listened...not lookin' like it was Grandfather.




Somewhere in the midst of all this Grandmother's angst and her reminding, I thought of Sacagawea with Lewis and Clark. I'm sure Heavenly Father must have planted her on that expedition to be sure these adventurous explorers neither got too close to the edge of anything they could fall off of, or overloaded their wooden canoes. Or got lost. We know they wouldn't have asked for directions.

The thought of that courageous woman caused me to gird up my loins and press forward. Someone had to keep reminding Grandfather about holding little hands and keeping littlest Grandson from the BIG rocks.

Grandpa's remedy:


And we all reached the end of the trail safely. Grandmothers are good for something on these hikes!

Now the rest of the story:

What are Grandfathers good for?

Grandfathers can learn important lessons. For instance, when Grandson (in the car* on the way home from St. George) tells Grandfather that he's going to throw up, Grandfather has learned that the response, "No you aren't. Close your eyes and think of the snow up in the mountains" will not stop the event from happening.

Grandfathers are good for cleaning up messes.

And Grandfathers are compassionate.

This Grandfather helped sickie Grandson to feel better about the incident by telling him a story about the time he threw up in his grandmother's bed and hid the evidence under the pillow.








*Remind me to tell you even more of the story.