March 20, 2023
– Helen Keller
Every semester when Joe teaches his class in public speaking, the first assignment he gives students is to write a 2-minute speech about any person, living or dead, they’d like to take to dinner. Their choices range from superstars like Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga to world leaders like Barack Obama and Elon Musk, and historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and Jesus.
A large number, however, choose a more personal dinner date … their grandparents. They want to take them to dinner to thank them, to tell them they love them, and to get to know them better, since many died early in their lives.
Even though young people may seem “fine” in the eyes of the world, they still carry the pain of their loss in their hearts.
One student’s grandfather, who had Alzheimer’s, left home and never returned. Another girl’s grandmother came from Colombia to raise her so both her parents could work and make a better life for their family. Sadly, her grandmother died when the girl was 4 years old.
Her grandmother cared for her, and she loved her grandmother. When she died, the little girl was inconsolable.
In the public speaking class, she cried as she delivered the speech. As she concluded, she paused, took a breath and told the class, “Then, mi abuela came to me in a dream.”
“She told me I would grow up to be a beautiful woman. She told me to do well in college. She told me never to be afraid because she’s watching over me and praying for me.”
Everyone in class was crying when she finished.
Her abuela must be proud. Her granddaughter got an A.
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Take some time to listen to a young person so they can share memories of someone they have lost.