Grandma4Today

I have been a Grandmother for twenty years and still remember the thrill and joy I had when my first grandchild was born. Living in Japan made it quite difficult to pick up someone else’s baby to hug it or play with it, because most babies never had seen a person with light colored hair. You can imagine how it would be for a baby always seeing black hair and smaller people, then, suddenly a strange looking rather large character suddenly comes near and touches the baby. Total panic would erupt.

When our first son was born in Japan, everyone wanted to hold him and show him off through the stores. He handled all of the attention and excitement, but it was a completely different story when I wanted to hold or talk to one of the other babies. The babies would just begin to cry and cry and cry. I was not used to having any baby react like that until we lived in Japan. Previously the babies in the church we pastored stateside all loved me. For several years, I was very sad to not have a baby to hug, hold and love.

When our granddaughter was born in the hospital here, the specialist was a personal friend who delivered her. In that private hospital, being the only foreign baby, she got very much attention. For the first four years of her life, with her blond hair and blue eyes, she was always the center of attention anywhere she was taken. My husband and I could not seem to hug her enough. Her birth had brought sunshine and smiles to our faces that had been missing for those many years. Our daughter seemed to spend every moment possible with her, laughing and playing with her. Our family had been blessed with a special little treasure that no words could describe.

Three years later her baby sister was born. Our hearts jumped for joy and were filled with excitement once again. No matter what burdens we were made to bear in responsibilities, their little faces, smiles and hugs brought joy that made every burden almost non-existent. In those days, we traveled to various countries much of the time. Exhausted and feeling as though our feet could not take another step, when the smiles and the sounds of their voices resounded in the airport, all of a sudden, the tiredness left and we were ready to be hugged.

Those four years seemed full and overflowing with hugs, smiles and laughter. When the oldest one was four and the younger a little over one, they went to the states for a summer trip, and never returned. All of a sudden, the house was full of toys, and no children. Where there were smiles, hugs and laughter, now there was only sadness and tears.

I realized that I needed to focus on where I was and what God wanted me to do, instead of being sad, so I gave my grandma’s heart to the Lord and depended on Him for strength. To be honest, I didn’t do too good for the first few months, because we daily felt the void in every area of our lives. You can’t suddenly not hear laughter, singing, and joyful sounds and NOT miss it.

About six months later, my husband and I traveled to some of the Asian countries. I was not thinking about the grandchildren and knew God had certainly helped me. While sitting outside one evening with the National Director’s wife in the middle of the property, she was called away to take care of something. None of the orphans were allowed to come near us, being the visitors, so as to not disturb or bother us.

Two of the orphan girls were standing a distance away looking at me. I began to motion for them to come to me, but they were bashful and afraid because they knew they were not supposed to come near me and bother me. I insisted that they come as I kept motioning my hand for them to come. When they got to me, I put my arms around one of them and gave her a very tight hug I then did the same to the other girl. They just melted in my arms. They smiled and smiled because they could not believe that I had done that. I had never seen any of the staff or workers hugging any of the children. That night I wanted to hug those two girls so I was very glad the wife had been called away for several minutes. Smile!!! They knew that they best leave before she returned so they slowly walked away, continuing to wave and wave and wave to me.

As they walked away, the Lord began to say something to me. “Sharon, you have been so sad because your grandchildren moved to the states, but do you realize how many times you hugged them? Do you realize how much love you have poured into your grands? You took them shopping, went to McDonalds, bought toys, and did so many things together, especially with the first one. Sharon, do you realize that those girls have never had one hug until your hug just now? You have so much love and so many hugs to give, and these kids have never had such an experience just one time. They need your hugs.”

I sat there and could only weep. From that evening until now, I am thrilled when I have the privilege to be with my grandchildren and share all the hugs, BUT each day I am never without the thought, “Who am I near that needs a hug? Who is it that has never had a real Grandma hug?”

You would be amazed how many people you pass each day that a hug would keep them from committing suicide. A hug would make them realize that they do have a purpose to be alive. A hug would cause them to reconsider giving up on life and believing everything hopeless. A hug might be their first time in their whole life to feel love.

Your smile may change a day for a person who is depressed in a bank, post office, gas station, or grocery store. Don’t fake it. If it is not real, then look sour like everybody else. A fake smile is worse than no smile. Perhaps you yourself need to be hugged. The best way to fix that is by hugging someone who is in greater need of a hug.

I have no idea where this came from, but it crossed my path back in the 90’s: Perhaps you could make it into a coupon and start giving them out to people. SMILE!!!

Hugs are fat-free, sugar-free

And require no batteries.

Hugs reduce blood pressure,

Body temperature and heart rate,

And help relieve pain and depression.

Redeem this coupon

At your nearest participating human being.