I think I was born a romantic. I used to achieve great joy, picking wild flowers from the side of the road and taking them home to my Grandmother, who I lived with and who I adored and who was the love of my life, along with her daughter, my Mum.
I’ve always loved to give flowers to ladies - they say so many things I cannot say, with their vibrant, delicate colors and perfume that titillates the senses.
Recently on my annual granddad training pilgrimage to North America, to visit two loves of my life, I experienced moments of joy that I want to share with you.
The eldest young lady, approaching ten, had gone camping for the weekend in a friend’s motor-home, I call it GLAMPING. It has no resemblance to my Boy Scout camping days in England (two of my best ever holidays).
This left me with the great joy of being one-on-one with my just eight year old Granddaughter. The week before, with her sister, we had gone out shopping and the little ladies had been given an advance on their monthly allowance, and strict instructions from their parents, not to let Granddad ‘buy anything’.
I was so impressed with their discipline when I offered to make up the price on a desired item. In one shop they love, I so wanted to act out the scene from ‘Pretty Woman’, where Richard Gere tells the sales clerk, "this lady needs some serious sucking-up." However I didn’t, as it wouldn’t have worked.
Anyhow, this time there was only the little one, a potential fourth-Dan black belt shopper - like her Nana, my wife. Incidentally, my weekly excursions with my two little ladies convince me that all women have the DNA for shopping.
We got to the favorite jewellery shop and as much as I know that it is in crass taste, I couldn’t stop the words coming out of my mouth: "This young lady needs some serious sucking up -she has her Granddad's credit card!"
At the next store, Toys-R-Us, I told the granddaughter, "you are in charge, go shopping." She said "I am in charge". I think it was her first time experience. The expression of joy, wonderment and happiness were indescribable for me to put into words and are etched in an old man’s heart and it cost me a whole $100.
I couldn’t help but smile, when she went home and said to her mother, ‘Granddad was my credit card’.
Thank you Richard Gere, for that line, and thank you Granddaughter for the gift that you gave to me. I’m sorry Granddad lives many thousands of miles away, and had not seen you for two years.
Folks, THE POWER OF LOVE IS AWESOME! Thank you for letting me share these wonderful moments.