Lean into discomfort…you are never too old to reinvent yourself!

After 75 years of living a selflessly devoted, emotionally draining, and yet exhilarating role of being a grandmother, mother, and daughter, one woman set out to lean into discomfort and tackle a new way of communicating with her family, friends, and daughters daily. You know, the comfort zones we all have, both professionally and personally.

Growing up in the '60s and 70's in the Illinois suburbs of North Chicago, I was fortunate to be part of a fantastic loving home with two tenacious parents and four amazing sisters. The ups and downs of everyday life, the challenges of a Vietnam-era society, and the life changes that I faced as a young teen made me realize the importance of family.

Holiday traditions were a keystone that helped our family remain connected. The rules around Easter and Christmas were particularly significant. At Christmas, we looked forward to St. Nicklas day, December 6th, where we left our shoes near the front door and awoke to find money in them in the morning. At Christmas dinner, we said a traditional Polish prayer and passed the Oplatek wafer, starting with our father, then on to our Mother, followed by my sisters and me. Each person would break off a small piece and pass it on with offers for peace and prosperity. At Easter, we observed the tradition of the blessing of the Easter food. We would go to church on Holy Saturday, where the priest would bless our basket of food. In that basket, never absent is the cherished Lamb Cake. Made of a firm pound cake and frosted white with a coconut coat is the confectionery treat awaiting those with a sweet tooth. These traditions, along with many more, have been passed on to my daughters while growing up, and it warms my heart that they have said that they want to continue them with their families when they someday have children. As a future Grandmother/Grandma/ Bushi/Nana, I have promised to encourage the passing of the traditions on to my grandchildren.

I’ve worked in information technology, finance, human resources, and even customer service, I have had job titles from the mundane to the most powerful. Now, with no job posting, a new role has been thrust upon me. What are the job duties? Somewhere there should be a grandparent job description template, duties and responsibilities or at least an administrative assistant to support me along the way.

Me… a grandparent? Wow! When did that happen? It can’t be me…

…grandparents are someone who is old, gray hair wrapped into a tight bun, wrinkly smiles and when visiting there was always the smell of something yummy wafting from the kitchen.