I asked my grandmother “how her day was?”

Summary

The author reflects on the enriching experience of living with their grandmother, learning about discipline and the value of listening, and cherishing the unique daily stories shared by her.

Abstract

The author has been staying with their grandmother for several weeks, an experience that has become a daily lesson in discipline and routine. The grandmother, despite her age and health issues, maintains an active lifestyle, starting her day early and engaging in stretching exercises. One evening, the author made a conscious effort to engage with her, asking about her day. The grandmother eagerly shared the day's events, including a visit from a long-absent neighbor, which brought her great joy. The author observed the importance of companionship for the elderly and the power of active listening in strengthening relationships. By choosing to listen rather than interrupt, the author gained insights into the grandmother's life and the value of shared experiences across generations.

Opinions

The author admires their grandmother's disciplined lifestyle and her ability to maintain a routine despite the temptation to sleep in.
The grandmother's enthusiasm about her day and the visit from her neighbor indicates a strong desire for social interaction and companionship.
The act of simply listening to someone, as practiced by the author during the conversation with the grandmother, is seen as a powerful tool for building and nurturing relationships.
The author feels that each day with their grandmother offers a unique narrative, which is a precious opportunity for interaction and learning.
There is a subtle hint of humor and affection when the author expresses feeling left out of a "tea party" that the grandmother had without him.

I asked my grandmother “how her day was?”

I have been staying with my grandmother for the past few weeks, and every day has been a learning experience. My grandmother is a creature of routine and leads a disciplined life. I am still learning the ropes of maintaining discipline, and I don’t have to go looking on youtube for motivational gurus.

I live with one!

She’s up with the sun on most days and manages to get a headstart on most of her activities before the world chimes in on her time. It is inspiring to see her wake up early every day despite experiencing the urge to sleep in on some days. Also, my grandmother, at the age of 75, still finds the time to do some stretching despite all the ailments.

I was having dinner with her and I told myself how I was going to give her my attention and engage in a conversation so that I continue to learn from whatever she has got to say.

Today, after leaving home at 8:45 in the morning, I returned after 12 hours, and since I was absent for almost half the day, I decided to ask “how her day was, and what all happened?”

The spontaneity with which she began the conversation was adorable, as it felt like she was waiting to tell me about her day.

The highlight of the day was a long time neighbor, who was away for a long time, visiting her in the evening. After gauging the excitement on her face as she was narrating the turn of events, I knew she was happy about the meeting. They share a special bond as this family was my grandmother’s tenant for a few years before they moved into their own house a few blocks away.

Both of them had a great time reminiscing.

Usually, she makes tea only when I am home, but today was an exception. She decided to have tea as she was feeling lethargic, and wanted a quick dose of energy.

I genuinely felt left out of a party: a tea party!

As we were finishing dinner, I was assimilating the narration of how my grandmother’s day went. I couldn’t help but notice two things: Old people crave company and the subtle power of just listening to a person.

Your ability to just pay attention to what someone has to say helps in building a lasting relationship. You are giving the person space to open up and share their experiences, and it is a simple way to nurture a relationship. I controlled my urge to speak and didn’t interrupt her.

I guess it wouldn’t hurt to repeat the question “how was your day?” as I am aware every day’s narration by my grandmother would be unique and it would be a great interaction with a person who is way older than me and has a totally different experience of the day.

Thank you for reading!