Learning With Addi

Sep 22, 2014 by Jim and Jerolyn Bogear

 

With a business trip to San Diego, I was able to sneak in a few hours of G-Pops and Addi time. Addi is our only grandchild, and she is 8 months old. I was able to “rescue” her from daycare for a few hours, while her mom and dad worked.

While I was holding her at her house and warming a bottle by running warm water over the bottle to take the cold chill off, something she did surprised and reminded me.

As we were waiting for the tap water to warm, she leaned out from my arms a bit and looked intently at the water running down the drain. You, like I, would say, “That’s it, nothing profound there, but thanks for sharing a grandpa moment.”

But I ask, is it that simple and non-profound?

Addi was amazed at something I take for granted, something I see all the time, and something that is as normal as many other mundane, routine things we know and ignore. This is first-time kind of learning for her.

I hope to get to take her on some of those fun events, life lesson and experience kinds of things, but this is one of those and if I miss it, I have not done well in teaching moments or being reminded of some valuable lessons.

What I was reminded of from my 8-month-old granddaughter:

1. I don’t want to miss the teaching moments of even the most mundane or minute moments of life. Be a parent or grandparent and teach our children about life.
2. I want to pour into our relationship and help her learn life lessons, not presuming she knows them because they are things I learned a long time ago.
3. Even the simplest things may be new to others, but remind me of life and learning, such as water running down the drain, leaves blowing in the wind and why they are no longer on the tree, new leaves appearing in the Spring, and the list goes on and on.
4. Take time to enjoy the moments of life, and watch for new things all around. We really do need to stop and enjoy the moments; not race so fast that we miss the experience of the journey.
5. Applying these lessons to mentoring and developing people, as well as, parenting/grandparenting. What is new to them? What are things that I might assume they know because I learned it long ago, but need to walk through with them?
6. Invest, invest, and invest in relationships. Constantly. And more and more we are hearing others talk about the importance of relationships. We have been saying it for years and believing it more and more. It’s all about relationships!

What are you and I doing to invest in and make a value-added difference in the lives of others?

~ Jim and Jerolyn