"Relationships - of all kinds - are like sand held in your hand. Held loosely, with an open hand, the sand remains where it is.The minute you close your hand and squeeze tightly to hold on, the sand trickles through your fingers. You may hold onto it, but most will be spilled. A relationship is like that. Held loosely, with respect and freedom for the other person, it is likely to remain intact. But hold too tightly, too possessively, and the relationship slips away and is lost." Kaleel Jamison
Eagles,
In my reflection on our Grandparents' Day event, an event that blew the door off of Woodlawn Academy with more than 300 people in attendance, I am reminded of our elders' role in our development. This role transcends many boundaries. Most significantly, many grandparents now act as primary caregivers to their grandchildren, necessary childcare providers, and financial support. In any case, and in whatever role they play, grandparents provide a family with the foundation of its history and help us to understand our existence in space and time. They are living and legacy proof that wisdom is the reward of age.
When I was a young man, my grandfather, my father's father, gave me some unsolicited advice while I was helping him deliver flowers to a funeral home. He and my grandmother were florists by trade, an occupation that can deceptively place you in close context with your own mortality... this a story for another time. He told me that a relationship is like a handful of sand. Hold the sand in an open hand without much care; it will allow any passing wind to scatter it, and held in a tight fist will see it run through your fingers. It takes constant attention to maintain a balance. I like the quote above as a brilliant illustration of the point, but it could easily be forgotten.
I've carried the memory of that advice for more than 30 years. Long after his passing, my grandfather's advice informs my personal and professional life every day.
Each of us has a hand in developing our students' sense of self in our time with them, but a grandparent's hands transcend time and space by working through us.
