My husband and I are on a flight. I always sit in the window seat. After takeoff, I open my laptop. Thinking about what I should write about, I daydream as I gaze out the window into the dark night filled with fixed stars. Suddenly, I see a shooting star steak by and I have my topic: Stars.
As I continue to gaze out my window at the twinkling stars, key phrases come to mind, all with a positive message. The Stars and Stripes, someone's "star" is rising, The Star of David, my shining star, The Star of Bethlehem, starstruck, "reach for the stars," "you are star quality," and "star light, star bright"...
Looking at my list of phrases, I decided to blog on the phrase "You are star quality." And the shining star is... GRANDmothers!
We have redefined ourselves. We are a stylish and educated generation of women; a most valuable commodity in today's floundering society. We have the important old-fashioned values, but the word "old" is not part of our vocabulary. We are robust, intelligent, dignified, cultured and most importantly... wise. We are GRANDwomen and GRANDmothers.
We are the fixed star in the sky, grandmas. We have the responsibility to deliver a powerful message based on our wisdom and values to our grandchildren. This can often be accomplished through visualization. Look at the stars in the sky with your grandchildren when you impart your message and talk to them about the fixed star versus the streaking star. I will say to mine, "Look up into the sky, dear grandchild of mine. I want you to grow up a stable star; like the North Star over there, not a shooting star that streaks through the sky. I want you to choose stable stars, like the stars you are looking at right now as your friends, not shooting stars that flash across the universe. Those are here today and gone tomorrow. I want your value system to be stable like the North Star, not the shooting star who is not grounded."
Grandmothers, "mentor" your grandchildren. You have your "PhD in life." YOU ARE THE MOST STABLE STAR in the family tree. Many of the traditional values have gone by the wayside and you are needed more than ever before.
FEEL EMPOWERED! Here are four ways to share your strength:
1.We enjoy social and economic power. Take your resources and your educational skills and expose your grandchildren and other young people to new opportunities with values being the center in your discussions.
2.Preserve previous generations' values and roles.
3.Ingrain in your grandchildren and other children the importance of family.
4.Stability is your middle name. Carry it with dignity.
I play many roles as do you. GRANDmother is one. Spread your power, grammas! Do something GOOD today: Share your wisdom with others.