Remarkable, Wonderful Children

My only two grandchildren live right through my back gate. No grandfather could possibly be more blessed than I - for that very reason. Grandmother feels the same way.

Yesterday, as I was eating breakfast Megan, who is five, ran over to see if I was ready to start work on the rabbit hutch. Since I was eating, she busied herself putting away items from last night's games we played with the family. When I finished eating, she cleared my dish from the table, while I played Farkel on line. Outside, she kept me supplied with screws, whenever I needed them. All of this was done, without me asking. She loves to help. I've asked teenagers to hold a flashlight for me, only to find it shining where they wanted to look instead of at the task at hand. Not so with Megan. She is a most remarkable child in that regard. She has a keen sense of what needs to be done and a vast store of personal initiative. It boggles my mind that a five year old is capable of anticipating, let alone meeting others' needs to such a refined degree.

Meanwhile, Jeff who is seven, is chatting with me on line and reminding me that he trounced me at Farkel last week. The idea that a seven year old's mind can be strategic enough to roll 11,800 points in Farkel seems absurd to me, but he did it! It takes wisdom and maturity to determine when to take risks and when to stop. Plus there are many combinations of die that are valuable, but difficult to notice, requiring a fairly high degree of sophistication. Much of the day, Jeff spent building his own projects as we worked. He figures things out, like how to reverse a power screw driver. He uses his imagination and creates the neatest aircraft and other gear. He loves to anticipate what my next move on the construction project will be and is often correct.

Mine are remarkable grandchildren. They are not the only ones. Truly Heavenly Father has saved the best for last and I eagerly look forward to seeing what this bright new generation will do for us.

The kids at the Detention Center were once like this. I can see it in them. What have we done to tarnish their beauty, dampen their enthusiasm, quell their imaginations and clutter their lives.

Megan and Jeff will face difficulty too, no doubt. I hope we can help them face it with their talents, sweetness, initiative, imaginations, intellect, innosence and enthusiasm in tact.