The love of a father for his son is wonderful. A mother’s love has no equal. But the love of grandparents is of another dimension. Many elderly people recognize that in their life they would like to have displayed their love with greater affection: when they were raising their children, they were always in a rush, sometimes arguing, possibly too rigorous or too lax in disciplining their kids. But now, as grandparents, everything is different: they always have time for their grandchildren, and often they would like to spend even more time with them than they do.
A few weeks ago, a video appeared on social media that could not better reflect this tenderness. It shows a grandfather singing to his little grandson, Joseph, a child with Down syndrome. They’re celebrating his birthday, and from the ambient light it looks like the video was recorded in the middle of the afternoon.
Joseph is sitting on his grandpa’s lap. That’s the ultimate security in life: to be in the arms of someone who loves you. And Grandpa is affectionately singing “What a wonderful world.” There are many versions of this famous song; the one I like best is the original one, sung by the gravelly voice of Louis Armstrong, but Grandpa’s version takes the cake today. It sounds like a caress.
Joseph lays his little head on the old man’s chest. His mother, who is walking around without taking her eyes off the scene, is surely thanking God for this moment of peace.
We’re in the Year of the Family and it occurs to me that it is a good time to bookmark the videos we find on social networks showing family love, especially when one of the people involved is particularly vulnerable or in need.
But watching Joseph, I wouldn’t know who is more blessed: him or his grandfather.
And today we celebrate...