Being a Grandfather is relatively easy. You just have to be there. You can be old and skinny, or hale and hearty. It doesn't matter. As a matter of fact, looking older and a bit frail can help with the Grandfather mystique. A little bit of five o'clock shadow or a beard is also an asset.And attending every event is not necessary either. Too much over exposure can kill the effect. Sometimes, as a Grandfather, it's best to stay a bit in the background, it gives them someplace to turn to when the others have failed, or simply can't meet the impossible needs of a 3 or 6 year old kid who might just need a hug. That's my main job.
Tall tales also fall under the domain of being a Grandfather. I just might be one of the greatest Grandfathers that ever lived when it comes to this category. I can spin a yarn faster than your Great Grandmother can knit. And the beauty there is that by the time they find out you aren't telling the truth, well, you'll probably be long gone. And then even this flaw becomes an endearing quality.
Grandkids are special, they represent a continuation. Not just of your lineage, but of the whole species. Some would say that is a bad thing, given the oil spills and other stupid stuff that we continually heap upon our planet. But I'm still hopeful every time I talk to my grandkids because it lets me see a bit into the future. And every smile, and every dream that they have let's me know that it's not as bleak as you'd think.
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