I was blessed to grow up with both pairs of grandparents. My maternal grandparents - Mammaw and Pappaw - have been married for almost 60 years. My paternal grandparents are a different story. My Pappaw Clifton died of breast cancer before I was born, leaving my Granny a widow until she met my step-grandfather: Pap. Both my grandmothers raised more than three children, traveled a lot, and embodied what it means to be a "Southern Belle" and both my grandfathers went overseas, worked hard, and played harder.

When you're around that much knowledge and wisdom, you're bound to pick up on at least a few things. So sit back, relax, and enjoy 14 Things My Grandparents Taught Me.

These first 7 come from my grandfathers:

14. "The fields of flowers in Germany are beautiful."

This quote from my Pappaw reminds me to take in nature, even if just for a moment looking through your eyes instead of your camera lens can change your life and your perspective on an experience.

13. "Sometimes you just have to know when to jump and when to stay on the plane."

Pap told me this when I came to him over some girl trouble I was having in my teenage years. He likened my experience to his experience as a paratrooper.

12. "Don't ever let your Dad catch you drinking."

Pappaw gave me this wonderful piece of advice after he recounted his father - Grandpa Griffie - knocking him out after he caught Pappaw and his brother drunk in the barn.

11. "I wish I could teach you how to plow with a mule."

Pappaw has always been a hard-working kind of guy. I can't help but think about this quote every time someone mentions how well their garden is doing.

10. "We need to go do some fishing... That will just solve all our problems and when we come back, they'll be gone."

Both Pap and Pappaw really love to fish. Even if we don't catch anything, I love going with them just to hear the stories they tell.

9. "I like to watch the wrestling, myself... I know it's all fake, but it reminds me of the fights I used to see."

I've never like WWE or anything like that. But when the people are screaming and smacking each other in the head with chairs, my Pap can get pretty into it.

8. "I love this old house. It might not be the prettiest one in the world, but it's home to all of us."

This quote comes from Pappaw. He and Mammaw have lived in the same house for a long time. Yes, it's not the prettiest, it's not the nicest one; but I feel as much at home in that house as I do anywhere else on the planet.

These next 7 come from my Mammaw and Granny:

7. "You know, some people do drugs. Some people drink. I just do laundry."

Granny told me this one day when we were folding clothes and it always stuck with me because it taught me that I can always put the negative feelings in my life to something productive and positive.

6. "Well 'pon my 'yonder."

I've never been able to figure out exactly what Granny means when she says this, but I think it's something a long the lines of "Well, can you believe that?" - just the epitome of an Appalachian woman who has seen or heard something that cannot be unseen.

5. "It doesn't matter how you look when you dance, it's how you do it and who you do it with."

When I was 11, my Mammaw taught me how to waltz at a square dance. I had protested all night but I'm so glad she finally talked me into dancing because I have ever since. And yes, I know I look like a complete idiot out there, but that's alright because I'm having a great time.

4. "I might cuss sometimes, but I love Jesus."

Mammaw is only human. She gets a little upset at times, but when she gets upset enough to say one of those words that her mother taught her should never come out of a lady's mouth, she'll stand up and almost shout that she loves Jesus anyway.

3. "Don't ever be embarrassed for doing what you love to do."

When I was considering a different career, both Mammaw and Granny simply told me to do what makes me happy. And they could not have been more right.

2. "We used to go on walks, we used to get up and put more wood on the fire, we used to just scrape by. But we love each other just the same as we always did."

This is a quote from Mammaw about her 50+ years with my Pappaw.

1. "I love you."

I hear these three words from all four of my grandparents every single time I talk to them. And I always tell them that I love them too. Don't ever be embarrassed to tell your grandparents that you love them, because they won't be around forever. They might be the ones that teach you the most valuable lessons in life.

They lived through simpler times, but I couldn't think of a more complex group of people than my grandparents.