Love Is Precious Time With An 11 Year Old Grandson

Last night, my 85 year old Uncle Gene, our family patriarch, and his beautiful wife Aunt Eleanor hosted a wonderful family dinner in a lovely restaurant. When Kyle, Anne's and my eldest son, and his beautiful wife Diane arrived with their 11 year old son Keoni, I could see Keoni was upset.

"What's wrong," I asked. He briefly explained that he had played in four basketball games and his team lost them all. When asked how he did, he grudgingly replied he had done okay. Keoni is a polite child who normally has a sparkle in his eyes and a smile that can light up a room, but as he hung his head, I gave him a hug and a few words of assurance and then stepped back and gave him some peace.

Soon, his little cousins arrived, those little cousins being Anne's and my other grandchildren, Cameron 7, Brody 6, Gannon 4 and Carina 4. They all see Keoni as a big brother and they follow his leadership and want to play with him. In seemingly no time, they were running and laughing with Keoni.

Later, I took Keoni aside and gave him a big hug. As he looked up at me from chest height, he had a warm smile that lit up his face, which put a glow in my heart.

I smiled back at him, and explained that as nice as it can be to win games, in life as in sports, our greatest lessons often come in some of our toughest moments. That rather than let those defeats upset us, we should attempt to embrace them for they will make us better and wiser as athletes and better and wiser in life.

"Thank you grandpa," he replied softly as he stared into my eyes after listening carefully, and I gave him a big hug and added some kisses on top of his head and gave him another hug or two. And I received equal hugs in return.

This is not an easy time for Keoni for he will turn 12 next month, meaning he is no longer a little boy but not yet a young man. His body will soon begin a transition into manhood, and in all of his hormones, his life may become a bit confusing.

This time with him is especially precious because I can still enjoy him as a child and readily receive his rapt attention, as he seeks my guidance. His parents give him enormous love and support and they are raising what is a marvelous child.

But soon they will have a young man in their midst, and as he has done as a child, he will be a young man who will make them and the rest of us very proud.

Dick