"What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies." --Rudy Giuliani

Grandparents are, without question, some of the most treasured people in our everyday lives. They are constantly teaching us, loving us, sheltering us, and so much more. Though this is common knowledge, have you ever stopped to question what exactly you're taking away from having these wonderful beings by your side?

1. Family is the most important thing you will ever have.

From the day you arrive on this earth, you are accepted into a family. Whether it be a hundred open arms, or just two, you will always belong to something. Despite the breaks and bends, as any normal family has, we are constantly receiving gentle reminders of how loved and cared for we are. As we grow old, we mold into ourselves, and while friends, relationships, and phases pass us by, we can always count on our family to stick by our side, no matter the changes. They love us despite our mistakes and our faults.

2. They need you just as much as you need them.

Your grandparents would give you the world if they could. We go to our grandparents for pretty much anything. Hungry? Need a little extra cash? That thing you've wanted so badly for a long time? Gram and Gramps almost always come to our rescue. We try to avoid thinking about ever having to do life without them. In reality, they think the same of us. My grandparents are always reminding me how being my grandparent is the most precious duty ever bestowed upon them. They take pride in being our safe haven.

3. You inspire them.

Every mortal on this earth has certain dreams, goals, aspirations -- some of us jump at every chance to tackle them, others, well, not so much. The same goes for our Grandparents. There are many things they wish they had done, that they never had the opportunity to. With every opportunity that arises for me, my grandparents are almost always the very first to know. If your grandparents are anything like mine, then you know they love to hear every detail about everything you do. They love to see us chasing after our dreams, they love to see us mold into the people we are meant to be.

4. They learn from you.

This is a weird concept, but a good one to understand. We learn from our grandparents; from their stories, their journeys, even their photo albums. They teach us life lessons, manners, love, etc. but it often goes unnoticed that they are constantly learning from us as well. Whether it be something as silly as the newest updates in social media and/or technology, or something more serious as discovering something in themselves, there are always lessons being taught.

5. You are in control of your own life.

"Follow your dreams", "do what you love" -- phrases I'm sure all of us have heard more than plenty a time. There is truth to this, however. Our grandparents have lived almost an entire lifetime. They've seen and done so much; more than we could ever begin to comprehend -- who better to take advice from than them? One of my favorite things to do, is listen to the stories my grandparents have to tell. They've experienced so much, sometimes getting into trouble, other times maybe being a little too cautious. Regardless, these journeys are all essential to the process of becoming.

6. Be resourceful.

I have one grandfather in particular who should be crowned the king of resourcefulness. We are taught to always make the most of the things that we do have; that there is always someone out there who has it worse than us. Nothing is ever impossible if you learn to make the most of everything you have.

7. Money does not equal happiness.

This lesson is especially golden. My grandparents have always stressed to me that money can never be your source of happiness. Happiness comes from surrounding yourself with people, places, and things you love. Your passion will always give you more than a paycheck ever could.

8. Independence is important, but you will never be alone.

I was taught to work as independently as I possibly could. Ultimately, no one will ever know you as well as you know yourself. Therefore, it is vital to be independent in most endeavors. This being said, however, my grandparents were always there to remind me that they will always be here for me, no matter what I need.

9. Have a kind heart.

You never know what another person may be going through, so it is very important to always exhibit kindness. Everyone deserves to be happy, everyone deserves to feel loved, special, important. My grandma taught me that often times, even one kind action can have and enormous ripple effect.

10. Cherish your youth.

We are all taught that life is better lived with no regrets. It's so important to cherish the time we have now, while we have it. I am always encouraged to chase after all of my aspirations, despite how big they may seem. We only live this life once, so why not live it well?

11. Johnny Cash is always good.

So, maybe it isn't Johnny Cash for all of us (though he is incredible). What I mean is the broad spectrum of preserving our culture's history. What our grandparents experienced, what their parents and grandparents may have experienced, and so on. Whether it be good or bad, history is important to help us understand this world.

12. Be patient.

Good things take time. Better things take more time. Patience is a virtue that is taught at a very young age, along with the alphabet and counting to one hundred. My grandparents taught me to work for what I love, and be patient for that work to pay off, and eventually, it will.