Over the years I have watched a beautiful relationship develop between my young son and his grandfather. They are in different stages of their life – one has attained so much wisdom after having experienced it all and the other who is naïve and just beginning his journey. Yet they share so much in common.

They both live in the present moment, are transparent in their emotions, radiate contagious joy, love ice cream and deeply enjoy reruns of “Gilligan’s Island.” Often when they both eagerly hold their bowl out for a second serving of ice cream or keenly watch the progress of their planted seeds or ponder what the squirrel is up to ,I am left to wonder if life skipped a few stages in between. Well, isn’t it true then that we go through all the stages of life in pursuit of the Truth that we already knew in the beginning that “Happiness is inside you“.

We start and end at the same point on the circle.
This is an ode to a special bond between grandparents and grandchildren.

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Grandpa and Ray were a zesty twosome,
To them life was a joy never mundane, tiresome,
Not a moment in the day did they let slip away,
To enjoy little pleasures that life sent their way.
Oft they would walk  hand in hand,
On lush green grass or on grainy sands,
And delight in the sensations that arose,
As they touched Mother Earth with their bare toes.
Time would stand still as they gazed  in awe,
As wondrous nature around them they saw,
In shades of colors from purple to teal,
Or ants that marched in rhythm with zeal.
The majestic trees in spring or fall,
With bountiful leaves or that had bared it all,
At dew drops on a rose that glistened in the sun,
At the complex web that a spider had spun.
On rainy days they would step in puddles too,
And wait in eagerness to spot a rainbow or two,
And prod little worms to see how they coil
Together they enjoyed the scent of the rain kissed soil.
Grandpa explained to Ray the marvels of the Universe,
The sound of the ocean when they held a conch to their ears,
The beautiful butterfly that emerged from a cocoon,
The wondrous, recurring phases of the moon.
Oft at night the two would watch funny shows on the tele,
And laugh out loud–deep guffaws from the belly,
Later savor every bite of delightful dessert,
Be it ice cream, cake or frozen yoghurt.
At bedtime Grandpa regaled Ray with tales of days gone by,
Of how he dreamed of flying as a very young boy
The story of his brother who marched in the war
Of the rickety old engine that was his first car.
Thus countless moments of joy did the two find
Far removed was their world from the daily grind,
So in touch with nature and their inner selves
In love with the universe and themselves.

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