Dear Readers,

Today, I'm excited to share something truly special with you. My friend Ester, a passionate Language Arts teacher, has written a beautiful essay about grandmothers and the unique challenges they face as they age. It's a story close to many of our hearts, reminding us of the special bond we share with our grandmothers and the invaluable roles they play in our lives. Whether you have a grandmother, had one, or just enjoy a good story about the enduring spirit of our elder family members, this piece will touch your heart. So, make yourself a cozy cup of tea, settle in, and let’s take a moment to appreciate these incredible women through Ester’s eyes.

Heroes in the Shadows: The Untold Strength of Our Grandmothers

"To endure old age, one must be a hero," my grandmother often repeated with a sigh. I was about ten years old and didn't really understand what those words meant.

Now that I am also walking that path, being elderly—or to use a fashionable euphemism, 'differently young'—I reflect on those words which I now understand: the old suffer the injuries of time; to the physical ailments are added loneliness, fears, anxieties. In short, old age is a disease hard to define.

My grandmother, born in 1898, lived through two world wars; in the second, she lost a son "missing in the Russian campaign."

Russia, such a distant land! My grandmother would muse about how people lived there, wondering if their hearts reached out to help soldiers in trouble.

So my grandmother began reading news about what was then the USSR. She even had some novels by Russian authors bought for her, which piqued my curiosity enough to start reading with her. Perhaps from here, my passion for reading was born.

My grandmother played an important role in my life, and I believe this was true for all children who were lucky enough to know their grandparents, custodians of indispensable knowledge and experience.

Today, in some ways, it is still the same.

Grandparents are indispensable in families where both parents work; they are the ones who take care of the grandchildren. Though they sometimes appear tired, they are almost always smiling, finding joy in their continued usefulness.

It is very moving to watch them wait for the grandchildren outside school to walk them home or just to greet them.

Recently, I was touched to meet Mrs. Lucia in front of the middle school gate, who at eleven o'clock, during recess, was waiting to give her grandson the sandwich she had prepared.

When the family faces financial difficulties, and unfortunately this happens often today, grandparents are ready to step in even though their pensions are anything but generous: they have become a kind of "social safety net."

All this as long as the elderly are autonomous.

But when they can no longer care for themselves, who steps in to help? Who rewards them for their sacrifices by taking care of them in return? As society struggles to find solutions, the nuclear family often faces overwhelming challenges.

Ester's essay beautifully captures the quiet strength and resilience of our grandmothers. As we reflect on her touching words, I’d love to hear your stories too. How have your grandmothers touched your life? What lessons and memories have they passed on to you? Share your stories and celebrate these wonderful women with us by commenting below or clicking on this link. Let’s keep their stories and their spirits alive in our conversations and our memories.

Warmly,

S.A. Sterling