Have you thought about writing a goodbye letter to your grandchildren? As I age, I become more aware of the possibility that I will die before my grandchildren marry and have children of their own. And as I age, I hope I live long enough to see my grandchildren marry and have children who would be my great-grandchildren. But just in case I die sooner than these things happen, I want them to know a few things. Some things about my past, our shared values, and things that I hope for them.
I have started working on mine. The following sections are some examples of what I am including, so these ideas might give you a start on your letter(s) to your grandchildren.
When I was little, my life differed from yours
It might be challenging to imagine, but our first television was black and white when I was young. Not the television itself, the shows. One of my favorite shows was Felix the Cat. Since he was black, it wasn’t a big deal that the only colors on the television show were black and white.
We didn’t have remotes for our T.V. If you wanted to change the channel, you had to get up and change it. Or ask someone else to do it. It was normal for us, but I bet you think it impossible to get up each time you wanted to change the channel or turn off the T.V. And by the way we didn’t have to key in the numbers to change a channel, no we had to turn a knob from station to station. And we didn’t have very many to choose from back then. There wasn’t a Disney channel, Cooking channel, Sports channel, or any of the channels you find favorite shows on today.
Cell phones hadn’t been invented. When they first came out, it was after your Papa and I married. He got one for work, and it was huge. It was attached to the floor of his vehicle. If I remember correctly, he took it into the house each night, but it was not something he could fit in his pocket.
We could only buy soda in a glass bottle. There were no aluminum cans or plastic bottles. Getting a soda was a real treat for us. I can remember my dad, your great-grandfather, buying us a soda when we went on errands with him. It was the best.
God should be the most important person in your life
The most important relationship you will have in your life is with God. No matter what difficulties you have in life, whether with your siblings, parents, spouse, or children, God can help you.
You were raised to love God. You will learn more about God by reading the Bible and studying it. Prayer brings you closer to God. You will also become closer to Him as you trust God in all you do. If you only remember one thing I ever said, it is to love God above all others.
I am proud of each of you
You may think I’m proud of your sister more than you. Or maybe your brother. But it is not true. Each of my grandchildren is different. And each of you holds a special place in my heart. Perhaps you are good at baseball or soccer. Or golf or basketball. Or your specialty could be playing the piano or singing. Do you feel you have no talent or aren’t good at sports? None of that matters to Grandma. Grandma is proud of you because you are you. You are kind and I am proud of you. I am proud of how you love and treat other children. I am proud of you, not because you are the best at baseball, but because you support your team and encourage the other players.
Memories are so important
Whether you make memories with your parents or someday with your own family, cherish them. Look back at the pictures your parents took of trips. Remember the fun times you shared, like holidays and birthday parties. Laugh about them and cry about them. Remember them. They are a piece of your life. They are your history.
I will always love you
Sometimes kids will disobey their parents and think their parents love them less because of it. But that isn’t true. It’s the same with Grandma and Papa. We love you even when you are naughty, and like your parents, we expect you to apologize and feel sorry that you did something wrong when you were naughty.
You may have curly or straight hair. You may be tall or short. It doesn’t matter to most people. Your parents love you for who you are. I love you for the same reasons. You will never know how much I love you. I loved every picture you drew for me. I especially loved your hugs and kisses. And the times I could read you a story during the day or before bedtime were some of my favorites.
It’s time to write your goodbye letter to your grandchildren
I have given you a glimpse into my letter. I haven’t finished it yet, and as you may have guessed, each of my grandchildren will get the same letter, unless, of course, down the road, I decided to create a separate letter for each grandchild. Even if I did a different letter per grandchild, I think each one will be the same, except maybe a special paragraph that pertains to that child.
Take out a piece of paper and a pencil, or maybe your laptop, and start writing. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It only needs to be true. I’m pretty confident that one day when your grandchild reads their special letter, they will love it. It will be part of the memories that they cherish. And be sure your final copy of the letter is addressed to them, written in your handwriting, and signed by you. And if you think of something else to say, add it as a P.S. or write a whole new letter.
Start writing your letter and let me know how you are doing with it. Maybe there is something special that I haven’t touched on, that you have included. Please let me know in the Reply section below.
And don’t forget to live these words with your grandchild while you are still here. Love them every day you can.
