Foster Grandparent: the Young, the old, and In-between

In October, 2011, at an old age, I had one of the peak experiences of my life:  seeing a toddler absolutely ecstatic at seeing me – a big smile on her lunch-smeared face, arms and legs flailing, from the chair in a high, round table shared with five other toddlers. Apparently, we had bonded. I had never before, in my seven decades, had anyone respond to me with such glee! And so based on that experience, my life aim has turned into trying to give, and take, GLEE, to and from, anyone I’m privileged to meet: the very young, the very old and anyone in-between.

In Romare Bearden’s book “Li’l Dan: the Drummer Boy”, he captures glee and awe in his line drawing. At Martin Luther King Day Care Center, I photograph toddlers inside and outside a crib. At ELRA (Early Learning Research Academy) I am gleeful at seeing a child sleeping – bottoms-up and toddlers succeeding at balancing blocks when they can barely balance themselves, and a toddler examining a pink alien.

At Lower Leap Academy, I’m joyful at attending a Gala at the Curtis Building in which student artwork is sold to those parents and friends of “in between age.”

And then there’s Artsonia.com, where we display and sell kids’ art.

And then there is the whole Internet which brings together the young, the old, the in between and all of nature.