I have made many friends while swimming laps early at the pool weekdays and mum taught me not to play favourites but I have a soft spot for my new great grandmother friend Gwenda. Her advice is sage and she has a gentle kind smile.
I think that the best resource anyone can have is the advice of a grandmother but even better than that is the advice of a great grandmother.
My favourite thing is when Gwenda encourages me saying: “Keep going Luke, keep going” and it has double meanings not just keep going with my laps swimming but also with my life in all areas.
“When I look in the mirror, I sometimes think I’m getting old, but then I have two generations behind me so that helps puts things into perspective. I am a grandmother now, but at least my nine-year-old grandson Jude calls me Glamma and not Granny.”
Stephanie Beacham
I like this quote about being a grandmother and all grandmothers I have met are kind and gentle but also strong and guiding of their whole extended family.
“What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humour, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.”
Rudy Giuliani
I love this quote and at the pool many of my new friends are grandfathers too and they are just as kind, wise and funny as Gwenda.
My grandmother on my mum’s side was named Myrtle but we all called her Nin and she lived in Orange NSW Australia for her whole life. Being loved and cared for by her gave me my first insight into how kind and wise grandmothers can be. Nin lived on a small pension and all year would spend a bit of money at a time to buy $100 presents each for all her grandkids.
My mum Maria was also a grandmother and was incredibly selfless and kind and giving. However best of all was her sense of humour to lift us up and diffuse any situation.
I was talking with Gwenda in the pool today and I told her one of my favourite quotes is by Cesar Nikko Caharian, who wrote, “Swimming is simply moving meditation”. and she told me she doesn’t ever really get anxious and I was intrigued as I have a bought of bad anxiety weekly. So, I hope with her advice she can help me with that. With the swimming quote Gwenda said she agreed with me that that is what swimming laps is like.
In conclusion I love having the opportunity to get sage grandparent’s advice and listen to their humour and life story anecdotes.
Two photos one with the whole coffee club and a portrait of me with Gwenda.
