Columnist bio: Betty Rutherford is President of the First Grandmother's Club. She is the wife of race car driver Johnny
Rutherford and grandmother to five grandsons.
Love Has Never Been About “Things” ----
By Betty Rutherford
Greetings!! . As President of “The First Grandmothers’ Club” in Fort Worth, Texas, I am extremely honored to have been asked to share some “Nana” thoughts with you. Through this most unique club with its even more unique membership of grandmothers I have found one of the most stimulating & rewarding adventures of my life. Thank you, Marty Norman, for the opportunity to share on your Web-site.
The Board of Directors of FGC promises to do its best to carry forward the ideals and values of those who have been so instrumental in giving all of us a wonderful basis on which to build this unique organization. We are blessed with responsible, creative, caring, knowledgeable grandmothers ---- A forever young, fun loving group of ladies who are dedicated to keeping this organization true to the mission of promoting the well-being of all children through financial support, volunteer activities, and education. There is always room for all you grandmothers out there to join us in our little corner of the community. Knowing that change and challenge are the constant companions of commitment and realizing that there are no short cuts to any place worth going, let’s all find those exciting times together with our grandchildren.
Recently, I found an article which was printed in the Star Telegram’s “Family Life” column. The title was “A grand role for grandparents”. I won’t reprint the entire article, but the last bullet point caught my attention. Quote: “Stay involved. The special relationship you have with your grandchildren is based upon your attention and love. Go to their ballet recitals, football games and music recitals. Don’t overwhelm them with gifts and special treats. It’s the way you interact with them and not the things you give them that really matters” by Gregory Ramey
I began thinking about my own grandparents and jotted down the first thoughts that came to mind……going for rides through the country side with grandpa in the car and going over the “tickle belly” hills….helping grandmother plant my own special tree in her yard…..waking up in the morning in the deepest feather bed ever, smelling the coffee cakes that my grandmother baked just for me when I spent summer vacations at her home….walking bare-foot across the fields with my grandfather to pick up the mail and picking “beautiful” dandelion flowers along the way…..going to Clear Lake where grandfather taught me to float on the water…..fishing with grandpa and being so excited when I caught a “sun” fish that was maybe 3 inches long…..reading books with grandma & loving every minute of “A Girl of the Limberlost”…being trusted by my grandparents enough at the age of 5 to have my first job that paid money----picking strawberries for 6 cents per quart….(oh, how rich I was)…..staying up late at their house to listen to the radio. Remembering an avalanche of “attention and love” could possibly fill an entire book. Most of all my grandparents allowed me quiet time in my own special space--in a tree--to dream the afternoon away. Funny how I don’t remember any of “things” I was given.
I pray that I am that sort of grandparent to my 5 grandsons. I am so grateful to have the bond of “grandmother” with each of you. I hope that you feel unique, special, and hopeful as we share the art of grand-parenting through the coming year with all its surprises that our grandchildren no doubt will bring. Always remember, “Youth is a gift of Nature and Age is a work of Art”-- author unknown. Together we must be “Nature’s Art”!!!
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