Grandma’s Advice
Thirty years ago when I was nine, I spent most of a summer with my old Swiss grandmother. There are many stories from that summer. I’m so glad I had the time with her and I learned an incredible number of things that have stuck with me to this day.
One thing she passed on to me stands out above all others though. Her mantra, which was, “If you see something that needs doing, do it. Now.”
For example, if she got out of the shower in the morning and noticed the towels were smelly, she’d immediately gather them and head for the laundry machine. On the way she’d see a plant was dry. She’d water it. Looking out the window while making coffee she’d notice the hummingbird feeder was empty, and so without hesitation, she’d mix up some sugar water and get the stepladder and refill it. On the porch she’d see a loose nail coming up, so she would put the stepladder away, get the hammer, pound the nail down, put the hammer away and then finish her cup of coffee, stopping to hang up the laundry which was now ready to dry on the line—why use a dryer burning up fossil fuel at at the electric company and paying for electricity when the sun was abundant and made the clothes smell nice. Etc.
Of course, she didn’t just live like this in her physical environment. She’d write letters to the editor. She’d organize neighbors. She’d even take homeless people home and then find them jobs and places to live.
She was cheerful and organized and thrifty. She was ethical and smart and involved. The only harsh words I ever heard spoken about her were from my mother, who was upset when grandma visited her when she was newly married and spent the visit doing things around the house, like putting contact paper in the bottom of the underwear drawer so that mom’s panties wouldn’t get caught on the rough wood. She was unstoppable when it came to leading by example.
So what’s the point of this rambling post? Two really. One is that modern life is sometimes simply so fast and so complicated and so busy that I don’t think a person could ever make it through a day by simply zen-like doing the most immediate project in need of attention. And second, that I realize that the self-defeating rationalization I’ve built into that last sentence is complete bullshit. If I worked as hard or as optimistically and with as much purpose as my grandmother, with her ethics, her work ethic, her organization and her first-generation immigrant energy, I’d be far happier, calmer and more successful.
On that note, I’m off to put some towels in the laundry, water the plants, pound down those loose nails, and spread smiles where I can. Thanks grandma.
*contented sigh*
What a sweet remembrance, ‘mouse.
(Now I’m seeing every little thing that needs to be done in my office, or even just on my desk! Ack!)
Posted by kimberly on 06/14 at 09:30 PMI’m off to line my underwear drawer!
Posted by Keith on 06/15 at 08:38 AMTogether we’ll fix the world, starting with its snagged panties. Inspection at 3pm.
Posted by 'mouse on 06/15 at 10:33 AMi’d bet grandma was an early riser as well, sounds as if she was self employed, managing her time in the way that suited her best. but then, i’m sure this was before the advent of the internet*.
Posted by goliard on 06/16 at 04:39 AMWhat a beautiful memory to share, ‘mouse. I wish I could have met her.
My underwear drawer badly needs lining. Sad thing is, it’s getting nearly impossible to find the stuff that *my* grandmother used to use in the drawers. It smelt of lavender.
Posted by boot on 06/17 at 12:51 AMSweet memories.
Today, Grandma would be diagnosed with a severe case of A.D.D.
I, on the other hand, am a citizen of the Procrasti-Nation.
Posted by Elisson on 10/13 at 01:24 PM
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