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Grand: A
Grandparent's Wisdom for a Happy Life
by Charles Johnson
c.2020, Hanover Square Press
$19.99 / $24.99 Canada
160 pages
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
The Truth Contributor
That little face holds so
much expectation.
You meet the eyes of your
grandchild, and you know you have a big job ahead of you.
She expects you to love her as much as she loves you, and
you do. He figures you'll have fun together, and you will.
They expect, quite frankly, to be spoiled a little, and
that'll happen, too. And with the new book Grand
by Charles Johnson, a few lessons might be taught along
the way... |
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Some years ago, when
Charles Johnson helped design the elegant room that would be
his home office, he had certain things in mind. Not one of
them was that his grandson, Emery, would take the room as
"his" office but that's what happened, and that's okay. The
boy is an obvious delight.
Emery's thoughts, his
willingness to share his world, and his points of view make
Johnson proud; their relationship is easy and solid. This
gives Johnson a ease of comparison between Emory and his
ancestors, and lesson-filled stories to tell: Emery loves
books, though reading was denied to his forebears. At age
eight, he doesn't have to work like his great-granduncle
did. He has nearly unlimited opportunities, unlike his
great-grandfather.
And yet, as a black man,
Johnson knows that there are other lessons he needs to teach
his grandson, lessons that go outside history and into the
future.
Be yourself, he'll tell
Emery, and know that the world has never seen anyone exactly
like you. Don't chase perfection because nothing is ever
perfect. Give dimension to your life by finding your
purpose, take care of yourself, and care for others. Know
that you'll suffer, and that others will suffer, too. Look
for beauty in life every day, even if it lies inside pain.
Remember the "three gatekeepers" before you speak. Never be
complacent with your skills, never stop learning, never stop
being creative or curious.
And know that there are
three kinds of love. If you're lucky, you'll experience each
one.
When you found out that
you were going to be a grandparent, do you remember how your
mind raced with all the things you wanted to do with your
grandbaby?
Add ten more to that list
after you've read Grand, but take a deep breath
first.
Author Charles Johnson
writes with a quiet reserve here that borders on gravity in
the lessons he has – and that you can offer – to a
grandchild. That seriousness is often further weighed
heavily with Buddhist teachings and philosophy that can turn
downright somber sometimes and the text, though certainly
filled with love and wisdom that ultimately leads to joy,
can feel as though it begs for a lighter hand. Beware, too,
that these sentiments aren't meant for sudden talks: they're
lessons that start early and continue for decades.
Even so, there are lessons
here for elders as much as for their littles and despite its
occasional excess depth, you should easily be able to
proceed as you need. With the right mindset and Grand,
you can expect good things.
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