Grandparents and compassion

from www.picklebums.com

As I work at the Gleason Family YMCA, I see many types of families.  Lately I have seen more and more grandparents bringing their grandchildren to the pool.  Watching these grandparents with their grandchildren warms my heart.  They lovingly guide, love and care for the new generation.  There is one Grandmother, who still works, that brings her grand daughter every Monday. They have such a great bond.  Another grandmother has also been bringing her grand daughter on Monday's.  The grand daughter was afraid of the water at first, but now is in lessons because her grandmother encouraged and loved her.  There is a couple who brings their 2 grandchildren for lessons one day a week. The grandmother sits with the baby in the bleachers lovingly talking to, feeding, and generally caring for him.  The grandfather often swims with the preschooler before lessons and then sits near and watches him swim in lessons.  I so love seeing the compassion of the grandparents.  It is and example of ahimsa in yoga.  It is an example of the YMCA core values - caring, respect, responsibility. It is an example of God's grace.  I live the quote from the Dalai Lama shown in the picture above...compassion is a necessity to life.  Let's share compassion with everyone we touch this week and be an example to the world of what living life with compassion is like.  

---