grand children are our
best gift to the world – life is
worthwhile that leads to them
In one of later books about Lake Wobegon, Garrison Keillor writes about visiting and old love and classmate who has cancer.
Mr. Keillor writes, “She is busy enjoying this world in the time she has left, lucky to have her granddaughter Annabelle living under her roof, Annabelle who was pulled out of school because it was holding her back, an ambitious reader who at the age of nine is done with children’s books and making her way into Dickens. He believed in the contagion of good humor and kindness even in the midst of sickness and suffering, which I, the English major, felt was sentimentalism, the idea of laughter in the hovels of the poor, but Dickens knew it firsthand and so does Annabelle. Laughter is not a privilege, it’s a basic element of humanity. And she loves his language. Like Dickens, she believes love is stronger than evil. And her grandma adores this child, curly black hair, brilliant smile, lying on the floor with her legs up on the sofa, book in hand. Arlene said to me, “I used to think that intelligence and happiness were somehow contrary, and I look at Annabelle and see that they go together hand in glove. She is my best gift to the world. My life seems worthwhile now that I know it leads to Annabelle.”
I was lucky to spend the last couple of days with 2 of my grand daughters and video talk with two more today and earlier this week with my grandson and his sister, and 2 weekends ago, travel with yet another of my grand daughters.
I am not dying with cancer and I am glad I read this early in my old age.
I DO wonder what makes my life worthwhile sometimes.
Then I read that last line.
My grand children are my best gift to the world.
My life indeed does seem worthwhile that I know it leads to these kids.
And I also know I am lucky as well as happy that to find this out while I have opportunity to enjoy it.
*Boomtown by Garrison Keillor, Blaine, MN, Prairie Home Productions, 2022.
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