Becoming Grandma

It is always on my mind, what good I have done in the world. I hope to one day retire and do something important and meaningful, the way I feel I am doing now as a teacher. Lesley Stahl in her book, BECOMING GRANDMA discusses a community in Illinois created for the sole purpose of rescuing children who were abused, neglected or abandoned.This community plucks these kids out of the foster care system. and the children are adopted into stable homes within a lovely, safe neighborhood. The neighborhood comes equipped with grandparents-senior citizens who have come here, as a sort of retirement community, knowing full well they will be playing the role of grandparent to one, if not several children. Not only are the children saved (of course, not all of them), but the seniors, many of them who have lost spouses or are alone, end up being saved, too. A retired school teacher quotes as she watches one of her grandkids on the swing, "Where would that child be if she weren't in this place? And where would I be? Probably vegetating someplace if I were still on this earth. I do not know; it's just so beautiful to see the little kids come here and do a complete turnaround."

These grandparents anchor and assist the adopted parents. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child, and working with children keeps you young and vibrant. It is also doing meaningful work, and what is better than that? It truly gives you HOPE!!!!!