Did you know that yesterday was National Make Your Bed Day and today is National Chocolate Milkshake Day?
There seems to be a day for everything, some more popular than others, but in my opinion, none more important than Grandparents Day. Grandparents are a society and a family's ties to its past; they pass on important values, beliefs and ideals to future generations. In Canada, their wisdom and love are recognized every year on the second Sunday in September.
Some countries set a specific day, while others set it on a particular weekend. In Australia, Grandparents Day has been adopted one state at a time with no national day yet set. In Japan, there is no single ‘Grandparents Day’ as elders should be given respect and recognition every day, making each of them a mini Grandparents Day. I like that! Brazil, Honduras and Spain selected a date that reflects a religious root; in those countries, Grandparents Day is held on the feast of Anne and Joachim, the grandparents of Jesus.
Did you know that Grandparents Day has an official flower? It’s the forget-me-not. How perfect - forget-me-nots are beautiful, reliable flowers that come back year after year, spreading joy wherever they land.
My paternal grandfather died before I was born and I was very young when my maternal grandfather passed away, but I was fortunate to have both grandmothers for a very long time.
We were blessed to share our home with Grandma. I can’t imagine growing up without her. She only had a Grade 6 education, but she was one of the smartest people I have ever known. A day doesn’t go by without me asking myself, ‘what would Grandma do?’ She left us many years ago now, but she’s still a very big part of my life.
Several months ago, prior to the onset of the pandemic, I heard a statistic that made me very sad: “approximately 60 per cent of residents in long-term care facilities do not receive visitors.” These days that’s not easy to do or in some cases even recommended, but you can still reach out and make a difference. A call to a senior will go a long way to brighten their day and you’ll be amazed at how good you’ll feel too.
Tomorrow, let’s celebrate all the joy and wisdom that grandparents bring to our lives!
- Want more weather information? Visit your weather page.
- Have a weather question, photo or drawing to share with Cindy Day? Email [email protected]
Cindy Day is the chief meteorologist for SaltWire Network
