I do so hope that a large number of us can say with pride that our grandparents were (are/have been) some of the greatest teachers in our lives. I know mine were. I miss my grandparents very much, but their influence continues in my life every single day. My parents say I'm more like my paternal grandmother, but I can honestly say that my maternal grandparents were my greatest influence as teachers. (No offense Grandma and Grandpa Kinsey!)
I got my love of all things grammar from my Baba. (I don't know where that name came from, but I am told that it is Polish, "Babsha" (sp?), for "Grandma." I've always called her that.) Every time I correct your grammar, it is the voice of my Baba I am hearing in my head telling me that something is not right about that sentence! When I lived in another state, I used to write letters to my Baba every so often. When I'd call to talk to her on the phone (pre-cellphone days, mind you), one of the first things she'd tell me was, "I corrected your letter for you. Do you want me to send it back to you?"
And we'd share a good laugh. She said it in love and I received it as such. She made me better at so many things because she wanted me to be the best I could be at what I love! And I love her so much for it!
I also learned to cook from my Baba. She was an AMAZING Jewish cook! Don't get me wrong, now. I'm a picky eater so I didn't like everything she made, but it was very rare that she made something and I didn't love it! Whenever I made something from scratch now and it turns out delicious, I know that it is because of watching and learning from my Baba. She would follow recipes, but only up to a point. She loved taking the "teaspoon of" something and just grabbing any old spoon to use! She'd add a dash of this, a pinch of that, and a handful of those and somehow or another, whatever she was making always turned out amazing! Every once in a while, I succeed in making something that comes close to her delicious quality.
My Grandpa taught me about research and arguing! There was this one Sunday at church when the preacher said something about Christ going down to hell during the three days He was in the tomb to retrieve "the keys" from Satan. I had never heard that before, so that afternoon after Sunday dinner, I got out every Bible translation and Bible study book that we had in the house and started digging. The preacher hadn't given me any information to go on beyond the previous, so I was essentially starting cold. I had no idea where to look for such a thing beyond the New Testament since that's where the stories of Jesus are.
It did not take long for my Grandpa Keefer to notice the mess I had in front of me or the frustration I was obviously feeling at not being able to get anywhere in my research. He came over and sat down beside me on the couch and began looking with me, all the while asking me questions. One question led to another question which led to another question which led me to certain passages which ultimately (after lots of digging and searching) led me to what I was looking for!
It was a wonderful research experience. One that I have never forgotten, but more importantly, one that continues to affect my life in that even thirty+ years later, I still LOVE to do research! I especially love to do research WITH someone else--whether it's for something I am researching or the person I am working with. I absolutely love it. Researching is a wonderful way of having my Grandpa Keefer here with me all the time.
My Grandpa also loved playing the Devil's Advocate with me. He would get me so riled up, I could feel my blood boil! One time, I even got upset enough that I went into the bathroom and tore the full-length mirror off the back of the bathroom door! As I grew older, though, I realized what he was doing and I actually enjoyed the arguments with my Grandpa for the pure sake of the argument. Grandpa Keefer helped me think logically, critically, as well as all sides of an issue before making a spot judgment.
Isn't that a powerful tool that we ALL need???
My grandparents, most importantly, taught me about the power of love and commitment. No matter how long they may have been away from each other (even if Grandpa was just outside working in the garage) EVERY time they came together, they shared a kiss. Every time one would leave the house--for any reason--they would share a kiss. They were married for something like 55 years. Sure, they fought like any married couple does. I can still hear the sound of my Baba's voice whenever we take a drive up the mountain, "Dayle. Dayle! Dayle!!!! You're too close, Dayle!!!! Dayle!!!!!" (I always try to drive on the inside lane now.)
My Grandparents especially loved their family. Together, they had six kids who each have spouses and almost every one has children, so they had a large number of grandchildren. We all knew we were loved.
But I always knew that I was always their favorite.....!!!!!
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