“Grandchildren are a crown for the aged; parents are the pride of their children." ~ Proverbs 7:16
Adele’s youngest woke up at 5 a.m. like
4-year-olds sometimes do. They went
downstairs together, and Aiden quietly ate a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios. Then he yanked purposely at her robe, facing the
family room. He wanted to sit in “Grampa’s
chair” and cuddle with her. Such a
pleasant way to transform an early morning into a happy memory.
When Adele’s father, Tyrone, came to live with them during
his chemotherapy, he brought his old, dilapidated recliner with him. He wanted a place where he could relax and
even sleep, but also be present with the family rather than stuck upstairs in
bed.
Every day after school, he’d hear about the kids’ days from
that chair, and they’d dance around the room as only young kids could, recounting
every detail for him. Before bedtime,
he’d read them stories in ways that made listening fun.
They loved Gramp’s chair. It was big and comfy. The leather had a soft, wrinkled feel, like a teddy
bear – the perfect place to rest and take sanctuary.
But most importantly, it retained sentimental value. To them, that chair belonged in the room as
much as the air and light. They often fought
over it and began getting up earlier each day to try to be the one who could
claim it for the day.
Maybe that’s why Aiden was up so early. Or maybe he was just hungry. Either way, he sat quietly with her, rocking
back and forth in the dark.
She wondered if he remembered much about her Dad. She hoped so, but memories are hard for toddlers.
He could point out his Grampa in a photo
and make many of the same silly faces they’d once made together. Yet he can’t recount many stories of their
time together because it’s hard for Aiden to recall much about what happened
more than a week ago.
Adele felt his little body against hers and thought about
how small he was. Children at this age
live mostly in the present. She looked
down and saw he was stroking the arm of the chair. Adele picked up a book that her Dad had read a
gazillion times to her son, and started reading to Aiden.
Slowly, she felt his little body melt into hers - happy,
safe, and warm.
Then, he fell back asleep in her arms. She pulled him closer as he slept. Maybe he was dreaming of his Grampa, confident
that his spirit lives on in what’s now a permanent addition to their home.
