When you hold a new born in your arms, you can’t help marvelling at God’s creation, and when the baby is your own grandchild, it’s a feeling that can hardly be expressed in words. You are in a sea of emotions – amazement, elation, gratitude, all rolled in one. The moment you see the baby, there is a gush of love like no other.
There were tears in my eyes when I was returning home after spending a week with the new born, my first grandchild. During the flight from Delhi to Chandigarh, my little angel’s picture kept flashing across my mind. I had a sinking feeling of leaving a piece of my heart behind. Overwhelmed with emotions, I found myself remembering my mother when she had come for my delivery more than three decades ago. She had tears rolling down her cheeks when she left after spending a few days with the baby .
As I talk about my mother’s attachment for my baby, I can’t help talking about the beautiful bond that my sons, especially the younger one, shared with my mother-in-law. Ever since he opened his eyes, his grandparents were around to shower him with their boundless love. Unfortunately, my mom-in-law passed away two years after his birth, but the kind of understanding and rapport the dadi and the kiddo enjoyed was to be seen to be believed. I would leave him at home with his granny when I went for my job. Due to her health issues, my MIL could not carry the baby but he never troubled his dadi. Once he started walking, he would pick up the milk bottle from the kitchen shelf and walk with her to the bed. Holding her arm, he would go off to sleep while drinking milk. My eyes well up as I recall this everyday scene.
‘Mool se byaz pyara.’ Umpteen times, I must have heard the adage that interest is dearer than the principal in the context of the love grandparents have for their grandchildren. However, I could never fathom its true meaning till I became a granny myself. It is only now that I fully understand what a blessing it is to have a grand kid ! In fact, I am surprised at the depth of my feelings and emotions for the little one.
However, I don’t think the arrival of grand kids diminishes your love for your own children, or they become less dear to you, but the little ones are really special, simply adorable. In fact, nothing seems more precious to the grandparents than the tiny fellows trot around the house. In a way grand kids are God’s way of compensating you for growing old and facing its challenges. When you begin to feel listless, grand kids fill your life with joyful energy giving you the most enriching experience. Free from the stress of parenthood, you relive your kids’ childhood that you might not have enjoyed because of your engagements. Now that you have all the time, you can soak in every moment of the tiny tots.
I feel the arrival of my nanhi pari has filled a space in my heart that I never knew was empty. She has brought a new wave of excitement – a magic in my mundane life. When she is around, time just flies. I can feel spring in my steps and a song in my heart. I find myself singing nursery rhymes, enjoying cartoons, doing things which have long been of no interest to me. The sight of birdies, butterflies, dogs and cats has become joyful as I see excitement in her eyes. Her tentative baby steps are most endearing; her incoherent talk most pleasing to my ears . Her innocent smiles and giggles fill my heart with joy.
The fun-filled moments that I spend with my little bundle of joy are precious that I cherish with all my heart. Even when she is not with me, she is in my heart. Watching the daily feed of her photographs and videos gives me joy. With excitement, I look forward to the video calls with her.
She is the sweetest gift in a cute-small package for which I am eternally grateful. I say with pride that being a grandma doesn’t make me old but blessed. Indeed, its a grand privilege to join the granny club.
(Published in February 2024 issue of Woman’s era )
Superb article so full of emotions.Every statement so true.You have woven magic.Your words just travel deep in heart and believe me tears well in my eyes.I am going to read it a couple of times more.
From a granny ‘s heart .. ought to touch the heart of another granny . Thank you so much ma’am for reading and leaving your lovely comment. Overwhelmed!!
Grand privilege is grand article very well written about the blissful gift -Grand children.
Everything shared in marvelous language full of emotions touches you deeply.
Brilliant, truthful, extremely well written article. Proud of you my genius, generous, great friend. You are genuine writer with very rich language and a wonderful soul with golden heart. Luuuuuuv uuuuu loads and I agree more than 100%with every word written by you.
Neelam dear , I am overwhelmed by your generous compliments .. not that I deserve. It is your greatness.
The fact is you see your own reflection in others . ❤️❤️❤️
Every granny can relate to it Rama, as they are the feelings which can be felt and very difficult to express! I am having my golden period of my life with my grandson here in Singapore and with every passing day, I feel that one day is short now. Though with this generation, methods of bringing up your grandchildren is little different, like for 6 months, no water and no cerelac and for one year, no salt and sugar! Things in our times, grannies had full privilege 😜. But all said and done, feeling blessed and in gratitude for this bundle of joy and wishing and praying for everyone to experience this bliss
Very right Narinder. In fact , I can relate to every thought expressed by you . It’s the same feeling.. the same emotion.. a blessed feeling .
Oh yes , so much has changed including the way of bringing up infants. In our times nani- dadi had a huge say , would have their way but today’s generation of parents is more aware ..
And, if we really want to enjoy this phase, we should rather leave these issues with the young parents. Not so easy though.. inadvertently, we tend to impose our views .
Rama, you weave such a wonderful narrative whenever you write; its a pleasure reading it up. Whether the reader is a grandma or grandpa is irrelevant, we readers live the experience with you. Thank you for contributing to the literature on daily lives of we the people, like Ruskin Bond did with humans and the flora in his ecosystem. You chisel words like Wordsworth, and craft stories like the Victorian age classics. Thank you for being there with us.
Oh my God ! Atul, yeh kuchch nahin, bahut zyada hi ho gaya.
I don’t know how to react.. All I can say is beauty lies in the eyes of beholder, or I may say in the perception of the reader .
Thank you so much for your generous compliments… a huge encouragement for me .🙏
Being a granny l could feel the emotions. You have proven yourself again.No words ,just applause 👏. Parent child relationship is like healthy food,whereas grandparent child relationship is like dessert after meals.l wish l could write like you…God bless you dear.
You put your whole heart into what you write,l love it.
Wow Praveen, this is wonderful. Loved the way you have compared the love of grandparents with that of a dessert after meals . 👌👌👌
I joined the ‘ granny club’ recently, just a little over a year ago . And Praveen, I am finding it to be wonderful experience.
Thanks dear for reading and leaving your beautiful comment. You are awesome!
So true to the heart… So cute and beautiful… I have seen you enjoying the company of the little angel. Rama such a beautiful article. Now you can understand why I shifted to Bangalore. Time flies… Always busy.. enjoying the company of grandchildren… Keep us rocking. Love you dear for writing so good 💯
Yes Neelam, now I understand the magnetic pull of grandchildren.. the reason for your relocation to Bangalore. And I know you both are awesome grandparents. Stay blessed always in the company of your children and grandchildren.
Rama tune to rula diya.You are so emotional and you can express your emotions so well that they touch our hearts equal intensity 🥰
Thanks a ton Simmi . So happy the piece resonated with you . In fact , we are all emotional when to comes to our children and now our grandchildren. ❤️
Rama you always step into everybody’s feet. We all always say , ‘ we too feel the same ‘ You have evolved a marvellous style of writing. We cry and laugh feeling the underneath emotions hidden in the article. I felt rejuvenated while going through your article Kudos to you
Thanks dear Mrs Chopra. Coming from a granny of three adorable granddaughters, I can understand your emotions..must be eager to meet the newest addition to the family. 💕
Rama yoy have woven the emotions of all of us, with all the colors , the warp and the weft , into a beautiful tapestry in the form of this article. How can I ever forget the feelings ( which no words can express ) when I saw the new born twins. I was the first one in the family to see them. Now the phone is always full with their videos and pics. The fun keeps multiplying as they grow. Special love and hugs to you for this one .
Thanks Alka for your kind words. Happy to learn that the post resonated with you. I believe the feeling for the grandkids is universal .
Rama dear once again your magic wand has mesmerized and touched the innermost chords of a grandma’s heart ….each emotion that a dadi experiences has been expressed so beautifully. Keep regaling us with your creations.God bless 🙌 🙏
Thanks dear Mrs Dhawan for always being generous with your compliments.
This is an outpouring of feelings and emotions of a dadi who has been a late entry into the ‘granny club’ …
Rama, you have penned down the truthful feelings of grand parents towards their grand children. I just returned after yachting in Cancun Mexico with my grand children where there shouts and screams in the Atlantic ocean was ultimate pleasure. I read this article or one may say a true narration from Rama’s potpouri while transiting at Atlanta Airport. Believe you me, tears obscured my vision through the glasses. It had an impact on me that I couldn’t stop sobbing when my younger daughter and grand son went on board the flight further up to New York. Probably with an upgraded status we are cardiologically getting softer.
Narinder, in fact you have made me emotional… your story touched my heart .. indeed not easy to bid goodbye to children, especially the grandkids .
I believe whether one is a grandpa or grand sentients are the same. And you have demonstrated it so beautifully..
Rama dear I got overwhelmed after reading your write up. All the memories
of the day, we went to Delhi after getting the news of the birth of our granddaughter were revived. On my way I was very longingly counting every minute of my journey. Those emotions of yesteryears of every new grandmother are very well depicted by you. May God keep your creativity productive !!
Thanks dear Mrs Dhamija for your blessings for keeping my ‘creativity productive’.
I guess emotions of every new granny are the same – excitement and elation.
Grateful to you for reading and sharing your experience.
Congratulations Ma’am for becoming a grandmother. I am sure it is a great feeling. I am happy for your family. Your essay expresses your excitement.
Thanks my girl. Sending lots of love and blessings to you dear Khushneet.
Shear pleasure reading pure unadulterated expression of feelings of any grandma , in your article dear Rama ! It is first hand feeling of any grandma across seas but you are pioneer in scripting it ! These little angels somehow cast a spell and entice grandmas ! In them i see bit of my child , bit of Lord Krishna as a child and feel mesmerised. Their innocence enchants , casts a spell . Mine ones are aged 2,, 3, 6 years all girls . Having girls pampering you with make up from their toy make up sets and treating you like a friend is overwhelming. . very nicely written . well done ! Keep writing
Dear Vini ,what a lovely narration of your experience with your little angels! I remember your excitement when you rushed to Australia when the first one arrived.Frankly, I didn’t quite understand your elation at that time but now I do .
And I agree these are feelings and emotions cut across all boundaries.
Thanks dear for your wonderful feedback.
Rna dear your pen has stolen all emotions of grannies… It’s like sun shine falling on d dew drops of grass…. Your digging down in d hearts n paint all luv for grandchildren that stays there…. We all of us are in dis phase of life… That has revisited us vid all it’s twinkles… Lil feet on our hands… So divine smell of milk on their rosy lips… N virgin smile on their faces… IT COMES FROM LONG DISTANCE WHEN FOR D FIRST TIME THEIR MOTHERS FELL IN LUV…. Writes KHALIL GIBRAN…. How true you write they vibrate our listless days…. In becoming dadi i got answer to my curiosity how patiently my father in law made my son eat orange peeling it slowly n finely… I would finish so many tasks in that time….. God bless you Rma your lines have music n tunes that set soul dance mast mast… I loved it.. 💞🌹🔥
Omg ! Anjana di your poetic expression!!
Bowled over !
Thanks for reading and leaving your heartfelt detailed comment.I guess all grandparents tend to be loving and patient towards their grandkids . 🥰