THE BEST YEARS

For many retirees, the week of March break is no different than any other. After all, why would a senior need a break when he or she can drop in at Tim’s any hour of the day or night.

However, for Terry and I, March break means our annual trip to Ottawa to spend time with family. It’s always special to visit with Janice, her husband Kevin and granddaughter Isla. As well, our son Derek makes the trek in from Hamilton with his youngsters, Noah and Audrey. He likes to do the long car trip at night when most kids are likely to fall asleep; a good idea in theory however as her older brother dreams, three year old Audrey likes to stay awake for hours chatting about anything and everything. Who knew that could be heredi..terry?

What a delight to return to the world of young children. However, after a few days of tobogganing, swimming, water sliding and crawling through children’s indoor climbers, Terry and I were beat.

Although we stayed at a Travelodge which featured a wonderful indoor water park, we didn’t realize that a room with a poolside view also came with the smell of chlorine and the steady beat of beach music well into the night….not great for oldies like us in desperate need of some quiet down time at the end of the day.

In our days with the grandkids, we learned about shark bites, dancing Gangnam style, the Angry Birds app, Dora’s inability to navigate without the help of a map, the remastered world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the fun of eating Fruit Rollups and Kraft dinner.

Now, returning to the adult world of Peter Mansbridge, the Harlem Shake and Pope Francis, Terry and I carry in our hearts the joyfulness and innate generosity of a five year old, the trust and affection of a three year old and the impishness and sense of discovery of a two year old.

From my vantage point, being a grandparent is probably the easiest and most rewarding job in the world. By comparison, raising young children is one of the most demanding.

I keep thinking about a line of encouragement that my mother always uses whenever she comes upon the overworked parents of young children. Although it may be hard to believe at times, Janice, Kevin, Derek and all parents of wee ones, know there is profound wisdom in her adage;

These are the best years of your life.