I’d like to address two elements of this transaction: Just months before, Hal was barely making full sentences. His language is now full and fluid. Beyond the sentence structure, his comment demonstrated a growing sophistication in his understanding of the world — where things fit in and how they fit together. Carpets belong inside, not outside.
That simple interchange between grandchild and grandparent filled me with awe and wonder. I was smitten, besotted.
The cognitive development of a child is a miracle; one that unfolds in front of our eyes. It is a miracle that, far too often, we take for granted. Those of us who live far from our grandchildren see this development in stop action. One visit our grandchildren are learning to crawl and, seemingly the next, they are running and climbing on a Jungle Jim. One holiday they are saying their first words and the next they are inquiring about the carpet on the porch. Those who study and teach positive psychology speak about a “beginner’s mind,” the sense of wonder and awe one feels when seeing or experiencing something anew. I like to think of this as a “child’s mind.” Grandparenting offers us an opportunity to rediscover and reconnect with our beginner’s/child’s mind. We watch with joy and amazement as our grandchildren grow and learn. Through their eyes, we see a world of mystery and discover the world anew. It is with this beginner’s mind — a child’s mind — that I am experiencing the miracle of child development. More accurately, I now see the world through a “grandparent’s mind,” which is like a beginner’s or a child’s mind of wonder but accompanied by a profound sense of gratitude and hope.
David Raphael
Chief Zayde Officer, Jewish Grandparents Network | 
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