Even if you have a grandparent on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, they probably do not feature heavily in your social life, despite being at the center of it. This needs to change, and it needs to change now. Your grandparents are an incredible resource. They are a gift that most people leave unopened because they think that they cannot relate to them. The reality is that this is not true. In fact, your grandparents are probably some of the realest, most relatable people that you know. Calling your grandparents once a week can change both of your lives. Here are just seven amazing things that will happen when you pick up the phone.
You’ll Improve Your Relationships
Most people go to friends, the internet, or acquaintances when looking for relationship advice. It makes sense. You can find people who are going through the same things that you are. There is solidarity in that. It makes dating and mating a lot less scary. However, why go to someone else who is struggling when you can go to someone who is already out the other side? Your grandparents know how it feels to lose a friend, break up with a partner, and be abused by a mean boss. They also know how to deal with it. When you ask your grandma how to improve your relationships, you might be surprised how spot on she is.
You’ll Make Someone Else Happy
Your grandparents want to hear from you. When you call, it makes them happy to know that you thought of them. Calling your grandparents for the fun of it is a practical exercise in doing something to make someone else happy that has little to no tangible benefits for you (besides making you happy, too). This is a skill that is underdeveloped, underutilized, and could help you make the world a better place.
You’ll Learn More About Your Family
Chances are, you do not know that much about your family. Sure, your great-great-someone arrived here from Germany at some point in history. However, this is not what it means to know your family. Whether you like it or not, part of your personality was shaped by your family. If only by proximity, they were the closest people to you growing up. There is no one better to tell you more about your family than your grandparents. They saw it all, even if they pretend they didn’t.
You’ll Learn More About Yourself
Learning more about your family is a great way to learn more about yourself. Understanding why you are the way you are is the first step on the road to self-improvement, which your grandparents will tell you never ends. Getting to know yourself is not an individual journey, you can use the wisdom and guidance of those who have done it before to guide you.
You’ll Learn What It Really Means to Struggle
When you’re in the depths of a serious struggle, it feels like you are alone. It can also feel like it is the hardest thing in the world. Both of those feelings compound how bad you already feel and can make some difficulties even harder. Your grandparents know what it really means to struggle. Not because they did not have a Sprint signal booster to make calls or because they fought unspeakable wars, they know what it means to struggle because throughout their lives, they have struggled a lot. What is more important, is that they made it through to the other side and have the benefit of perspective. Perspective is often not what you want when you are fighting an uphill battle, but sometimes it is exactly what you need.
You’ll Learn Valuable Lessons About Life and Love
Your grandparents have years on you. That means that they have been through more break-ups, make-ups and (yes) hook-ups, than you have. They have a treasure trove of wisdom that is just waiting for you to seek out.
You’ll Learn What It Means to Be Selfless
Whether you realize it or not, your grandparents sacrificed a lot so that you can be here. That does not mean that you owe them your time, your money, or your love; however, next time your family gets together, look around at what they created and how beautiful it is. Remember, beauty comes from sacrifices – and that sacrifice was worth it.
Conclusion
The best thing about grandparents is that they are not your parents. They aren’t there to give you unsolicited advice or poke their noses into places you’d rather they didn’t. Instead, they have a life’s worth of wisdom to offer you no matter what you’re going through. All you need to do is pick up the phone. Featured photo credit: surlygirl via flickr.com
