Dear all of you who still have your grandparents here on Earth with you,

I would like to start out by say that you are blessed beyond measure. Maybe you don’t realize how blessed you are to still have them, but because I don’t have mine, I can truly see that you are. It has been almost 11 years since my last grandparent passed away. That means I was only 9 years old at that time. And even though I was that young, there are so many things that I wish that I would have done differently before they went to Heaven. So, if you still have your grandparents in your life, do (at least some of) these things for me and all the others who can't.

1. Spend time with them.

I know at our age, we have so much to do, and so much going on, and so many people to see that we sometimes forget the people who are at home. Take it from me. Go see them every chance you get, even if you think you have better things to do, or more important people to see. One day, you will look up, and they won’t be there anymore, and you’ll wish with everything in you that you could go see them again.

2. Call them as often as possible

I’m not completely crazy. I know that we are busy and we can’t always make time to get back home and spend a whole day with people, but thankfully, we live in a generation of technology. If you can’t get time to go see them, call them. Chances are, just hearing your voice will make their whole entire day better, and even better chances are, it will make your day better too.

3. Ask them about their childhood.

When you get the chance to spend any amount of time with them, ask them to tell you a story about their childhood, or their life before you were born. I guarantee they will have a story or two to tell you that will make you cry, and then laugh. I remember my grandparents always having the very best stories to share with me. My grandfather would almost always end his with “and that’s how it happened”. So take the time to ask them questions, because once they’re gone, those stories will be something of theirs that you will cherish forever.

4. Listen to their advice.

You know those stories I just talked about? They will be full of advice. Some of it will be hidden inside of the stories, and sometime they will just come right out and tell you some piece of advice you didn’t know you needed to know. Always always ALWAYS listen to their advice, and take it to heart. They are the wisest people you know. So, take their advice. Soak it all in. Live by it.

5. Hug them as often as you can.

I know, I know. This is so cliché, but it is the truth. One of my favorite things to do when I was younger was run into my Papaw’s house and jump on his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. Or walk into my Granny’s house and run up behind her and hug her and laugh until she guessed everybody’s name except mine. These are the things I remember most about being with my grandparents. Hugs can speak things that words can’t. Hug your grandparents. And then, hug them again. And again.

6. Go on road trips with them.

When I was younger, I loved riding around with my grandfather, looking at all of the houses and playing our silly little road games. We would ride to town, and back and it felt like we had been gone forever. Grandparents are good at things like making you feel like you’ve been on vacation, even when you’ve just gone to town with them. Go places with them. Keep them company. It means a whole lot to them, but it’ll mean even more to you sometime down the road.

7. Take pictures with, and of, them.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of pictures with or of my grandparents because back before they passed away (all the way back in 2005), the nobody really wanted to carry around a camera. However, in our day and time, almost everybody has a camera (also known as a phone) in their hand all of the time. Make sure to use that source for your good. Take pictures with and of your grandparents. Print them out, and give them a copy. I promise one day you’ll be so glad to have those special moments with them captured to look at for years to come.

8. Introduce them to your friends.

I don’t know about you, but my grandparents were the coolest people I’ve ever known. Every time one of my friends would come over to my house, we always went over and saw my Papaw. All of them knew him as “Papaw” and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I know things change as time goes by and maybe introducing your grandparents to your friends doesn’t seem like a very important task. However, I can promise you that they want to meet your friends, and to be friends with your friends, and for your friends to like them better than you. Introduce your friends to your grandparents. You won’t regret it.

9. Invite them to your school functions, or extracurricular activities.

They want to come watch you do what you enjoy doing. They want to support you. Invite them to come see you. Invite them to come to your campus for a tour, by their favorite tour guide. Invite them to everything that you can. Give them a glimpse into your world. This will mean more to them than you will ever realize. Plus, you will get some great cheerleaders in your corner, if you let them come. Do it. It’s worth it.

10. Tell them you are thankful for them.

I feel like this should be a given, but everywhere I look, I see people my age using their grandparents. Whether it be for money, or something else, they are always asking for something, but they never seem to think to tell them thank you. Make sure they know that you appreciate everything they do for you. Even if you are pretty sure that they know that you appreciate them, tell them again. Make sure that they know that you love them, and that you are thankful for them.

11. Treasure every moment with them.

Another cliché. But seriously, no matter what you are doing with them, or what the conversation is about, make sure that you let them know what they mean to you. Enjoy every second that you have with them, because eventually each moment will become a cherished memory that you will want back. Make every second with them count, because you don’t know when the last one will be.

Lexie Saige once said "Sometimes our grandmas and grandpas are like grand-angels." This is how I think of my grandparents- whether it be while they were here with me or since they’ve gone home to wait for me, they will always be my “grand-angels.” Don’t ever take yours for granted, because one day, they won’t be here anymore. Love them. Include them. Be thankful for them.

Sincerely,

A girl who misses her grandparents