My Grandfather Gave Me Life Advice — Is That Bad Grandparenting?

The other day, I was in the airport with my family. While waiting in the gate, I noticed someone who I thought I recognized as a friend of my grandfather, so I quickly alerted him and sent him over. However, this person was not who I thought it was, and my grandpa knew why.

As he explained to me why, he unknowingly shared with me some life advice- that you should always try to relate to someone, even if you have to, uh, stretch the truth. This got me thinking: while I love my grandpa with all my heart (he is pretty awesome), did telling me lying is OK make him a bad grandparent?

My grandfather and I have a weird relationship. Sometimes we’ll be distant and sit in silence for a while, and then the next day we’ll be discussing deep thoughts, like Donald Trump vs. Hillary Clinton or how the Panama Canal helped Panama all those years ago.

As far as I know, he hasn’t given me any really big life advice-so why is this piece of advice stuck in my head, I have no idea.

But this got me thinking: we take our parents and grandparents or whatever relatives you’ve got for granted. Not to be a bummer, but one day they won’t be there to support you. Or there at all. So all of you who are upset at your relatives, let it go. Make amends. You just might need some life advice to ponder, like I did.