Unconditional Love
Today marked my first Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day at Belmont Day.
As is usually the case with me, I tried to see the day through the eyes of the children and then through the memory of my own eyes as a child. What I remember from those early elementary days about Grandparents’ Dayat my school it always backed up against Thanksgivingwas the notion that my grandparents’ arrival to school was an auspicious sign of something bigger, greater than a drop-in on my math class, or a visit to the cafeteria. It was express permission to feel loved unconditionally in public. It was the start of a longer visit, an aroma-soaked holiday of home-cooked meals and noisy cousins. It was, in the sincerest of ways, special.
I could do little wrong in the eyes of my grandparents on that day. Certainly their glasses were rose-colored, but what I didn’t realize was that their glasses had blinders on them, too. They were concentrated singularly on me (and my siblings, too, I suppose) as I went from class to class, showcasing my finest art work or favorite book to read. Those days felt like superstardom, if only for a few fleeting hours. For those parents who attended as your child’s special guest, you too had the opportunity to contribute to the feeling of love and support surrounding our students today. There is nothing quite as exciting as feeling like you can do no wrong.
That feeling brings me back to Grandparents’ and Special Friend’s Day here at BDS. For those of you who are parents reading this article, I invite you to have a conversation with your children about today and what made it so special. What, I wonder, did they enjoy so much about having their guest on campus with them? What did they get to show them? How did it make them feel? I would guess that their answers have some resonance with my memories of what that day felt like when I was a child. Then, I would ask your parents or special friends about the day. My guess is that the answers will sound very much the same.
It is my hope that today carried with it the same auspiciousness from my childhood. There is truly no feeling quite as powerful as unconditional love. Have a great weekend everyone.
