I SAW A REAL FAMILY TODAY...

I SAW A REAL FAMILY TODAY

BY GLORIA FAYE BROWN BATES                                                                                                                                                                                       aka  GRANNY GEE

Today I went to feed the cats.  On my way, I noticed a mother standing over a wagon making sure her two little sons were seated comfortably.  I saw the father on his riding lawn mower ...... mowing grass, watching them.  I know he felt pride in his family as he rode along on the lawn. 

We know this family, they are good people.  All one has to do is to look at them and know their children are going to grow up taken care of.  They each will probably 'be somebody'.  They didn't notice me as I passed slowly by, so engrossed in each other they were. 

They will groom both sons to succeed in life.  My wish for my grandson, granddaughter... is for each of them to be groomed at this early age... to grow up to 'be somebody', to have confidence, to be healthy.

They take their boys to the big boy's barber shop to have their hair cut nicely.  They feed them good, healthy foods... when a child's hair isn't cut right... it makes that child look 'poor'... in school it puts a stigma on the child.  It makes life harder for that little child.  One could see even from the distance I was... these little boys got to go to the big boy's barber shop.

When that child isn't fed the right foods... it shows on the child.  It shows on the child's skin, face, eyes, hair... his/her whole body.  Unhealthy foods such as fast foods are being fed to them .  No one is making good, healthy meals for the child.  Alot of mothers don't cook nourishing meals... they depend on fast food... hamburgers, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, soda.... it goes on, and on. 

These are the foods that cause these babies to begin having high cholestrol build up in their bodies, causing early heart problems, heart attacks at an early age, diabetes.  Adults who eat out constantly have health problems, children aren't any exception.

As grandparents we all hope that our grandchildren are fed healthy food, have nice clothes to wear, have good shoes to wear, good haircuts, have a good home, treated as well as the children I saw today.  If this was so... no grandparent would ever worry again for a grandchild.

It's hard for a grandparent to tell someone to please take the best care of their grandchildren... they should never have to... nor should they ever have to worry.  When looking at a grandchild as all grandparents will do, whether anyone likes it or not... it's only natural that they do... when seeing all isn't right with their grandchild, it's upsetting.

Today, when I saw this special family who lived close to us at one time.... where we moved from.... I appreciated them.   I wished so many good things for my own grandchildren... I thought of them, as I saw this family from my window.  I know we all do.  I could hear Tommy's promise to always make sure Taban was groomed, wore the nicest clothes, and his hair kept cut right.  He wanted Taban to grow up to be somebody... he was going to groom him. 

When we lived in our home before it burned down, one of the most special families I ever saw in my whole life............ yes, in my whole life... lived right across from us in a big, old southern-style mansion. 

There was the father, mother, two little daughters... later a little son.  I remember when I used to work in my flowers, be out in the yard doing things... I would see this beautiful mother playing with her children outside.  It made me think of myself as a little girl... at one time I was loved like that.  How special .....

I think I can count on both hands the 'real' families I've ever seen... in fact, I'm not certain there are enough families to connect to each of my ten fingers.

That's 'why'.... no matter where I am, all through my life... I stop, notice real families.... in my mind I always envision a golden, protective circle around them... for them to always be together, for the children to grow up knowing they're loved, taken care of, to succeed in life.  In my mind I always say a prayer ...'Lord please protect this family'.  I say the same for my two grandchildren and their families.

No child can ever have too many people loving them... building their support system to always be there for them growing up.  Parents don't realize when they cut out people in their child's life... they're hurting the child in the future.... out of anger, hate, dislike.  I know... I grew up this way... spiteful parents can cause future grief for the very children they are supposed to love, protect, want the best for.

They also, cause problems one day when it comes time for grandparents to prepare to leave their things to... if they don't have anyone... they will think about other people's children... the ones who are in their life... who care for them. 

After all these years of living .... I have to say that 'real families' .. are fragile, special and in 'today's time'.......... hard to find.  Families are fractured by divorce, death, and all sorts of reasons.

It's strange though... people who are in families might sometimes... not appreciate it because they've never known how it feels to be alone, no one to care about them.  They stay angry at the least little things... wasting time hating, instead of loving.  You can't tell them... they don't hear. 

I know that when I see a real family... I notice them, smile.  Those children are so special, fortunate.  Their grandparents can have an eased mind... someone's taking good care of them.  They are in a ... real family.