My Grandparents' Love

A legacy well lived.

If I could live any advice that I've heard it would be to live by "Loving someone else more than you love yourself and to ALWAYS give 150% in a relationship"

This is what my Grandparents lived. And Grandpa still lives with Darlene.

It is amazing to see their relationships! To feel how much they loved each other! They truly were (and are) best friends. Wanting the BEST for each other. Putting themselves on the back burner for what the other person wants.

I've heard from many people that my Grandparents never fought. Some people may say that fighting is healthy - they just always took care of each other - so there was no need to fight. Their needs were met. I don't believe that they constantly saw eye to eye on everything - but their love and concern for each other was larger than any conflict could be...

Their philosophy on giving to each other is to ALWAYS GIVE 150% to each other... This way - when you have "off days" you are still giving over 100%. This way their is never a gap between the two of you.

I wish I could draw a picture... if you start off at 100% and are having an "off day" - so you are giving 80% even 90% there is a gap that is formed - so the other person in the relationship has got to overcompensate - then roles can be reversed and the other person has now got to overcompensate... the problem is when you stay in that state - and get used to giving less. Then it turns into looking at yourself instead of looking out for the other person's BEST!

If you're concerned with the person you LOVE - truly love. See them for who they are and accept them with all of their quirks and all of their gifts... you won't NEED to protect yourself. THEY are protecting you. More importantly YOU are protecting them. If you're always putting the other person in front of yourself - you won't have to worry.

I don't know why this type of love is so rare. It makes sense!

My heart has been breaking lately. Because many people don't know this love. I hope and pray that my Grandparents' love and legacy will encourage to love deeply and selflessly.

I haven't experienced a love like this. But I am cautiously hopeful that it is out there! I've had a taste and I've seen it lived. I won't settle for less!

My Grandparents were more than happily married for 52 years before my Grandma passed away from colon cancer. My Grandma loved my Grandpa so much that she knew how much he needed her and depended on her - and knew that he needed an amazing love from someone else to THRIVE in life - while she was gone. I remember my Grandma telling me, "Make sure that Grandpa finds a wife". Some may think that this is weird... or that he should not have remarried - but my Grandma wanted the best for him.

I am so thankful for Darlene. People can never be replaced. My Grandpa still sees my Grandma over his shoulder just about every day... And his love for Darlene and hers for him carries on the legacy that my Grandparents had together.

Love doesn't control... it frees! It empowers. It encourages. It is truth. Love has so much more power than I think we give it credit.

I am so thankful for the leagacy that my Grandparents have left. And that Grandpa and Darlene will leave. It encourages and challenges me - to wait for the man who will love me like this! "I'm worth it" EVERYONE is worth this type of love!