01/20/2023
By Kate Stone Lombardi
I’m exaggerating. It was only a 98-year-journey.
What I mean is that this morning my husband and I drove north about 45 minutes to snag an hour with our 1-year-old granddaughter. There’s nothing better than watching her little face light up with delight when we walk in the door. Except maybe when she follows the beaming smile with her arms outstretched for a big cuddle.
When we got back home, I turned around and drove 30 minutes south to spend time with my Mom, who turns 99 next month. We had lunch together and pursued our usual afternoon activities – going through the mail, checking the bills, browsing catalogues, trading stories and gossiping.
There are similarities in the two visits. When I spend time with my granddaughter, I am mostly sitting, crawling or lying on the floor, playing. When I see my Mom, I’m mostly lying down on the bed next to her. My granddaughter makes me laugh, and I can also crack her up. My Mom and I also have a lot of laughs.
I need to keep a good eye on both of them.
Today my mom talked about her grandparents. My Mom is southern and I love hearing the family names – her grandmother was Idabelle, and she had an Uncle Beau, Aunt Loralee and Aunt Margurite. My granddaughter will likely attend school with children named Oynx, Clover and Bowie. (I’m not making up these names – they are among the fastest growing for babies in the US born between 2020 and 2021.)
It’s hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that there is almost a century between my Mom and my granddaughter. I wish my Mom was could see this beautiful baby, but alas, she is legally blind and can only make out a blonde blur. I hope my granddaughter will remember having a great grandmother in her life, but it’s unlikely.
Anyway, for now, they are the north and south poles of my life. And I feel the tug on both ends.