My Nickel’s Worth
Having people in your life who are always happy to see you is important.
Growing up in the Oklahoma City area, we saw our share of snow days. We mostly had ice days, where we were shut in for days at a time. I remember one evening, we had no electricity, and we were so bored that we were climbing the walls—so my dad taught us how to make shadow puppets on the wall—sitting by our window and using the moonlight. I was about nine, my sister was four, and this entertained us for about thirty minutes. We had been without power for three days, and we had eaten cold sandwiches, Pop tarts, and peanut butter. We were losing our minds. It was two weeks before Christmas, and we were told there would be no school for the next week. No power. The suburb we lived in was basically shut down. My dad finally said, “We are not staying here. We are heading South.” We bundled up, took layers of clothing and blankets, and loaded up our SUV. My parents didn’t think they could handle being stuck in that house with no power for a week, so we packed our bags by candlelight and headed out in the darkness for my grandparents’ home. We drove carefully as the roads were solid ice, but the farther South we traveled, the better the roads became.
My grandparents lived almost four hours South, and they didn’t have any ice or snow. We arrived at their farm, and everything was amazing. They were so excited to see us! My nana had her fourteen foot Christmas tree decorated, she had made all kinds of Christmas candy and goodies, and she already had gifts under the tree for me! It was so nice to see Christmas lights, have warm meals, play on my Play Station, and to spend time with my family. It was like an extra bonus week of Christmas vacation. Until I was 6, we had lived near them, so any time we could visit, they were so happy. My nana would cry when we left—every single time.
Everyone needs people who want them— need them—and love them. My grandparents never treated us like we were a burden, and that’s why I always wanted to visit. Yes, I loved their big backyard, the farm life, and spending time there, but what really impacted me the most was how special I have always felt. It is always nice when you feel that you are a blessing and not a burden. I am thankful that I have that in my life. We should all strive to make others feel the same way.