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GRANDMOTHER



There is a rare and hugely touching alliance that c

an form between an elderly grandmother (who is gradually becoming weaker) and a young grandchild (who is slowly becoming stronger). At the moment, from opposite ends of the spectrum, they both understand frailty quite well. The grandmother's awareness of her own short tenure on life makes her feel the preciousness of mere existence. She’ll probably die before the course of your adult life is established. She might not be able to talk about Minecraft or know how to make a spaceship out of Lego, she can’t make an obstacle course round the sitting room out of cushions and upturned chairs. But she’s very interested in whether you still like Toblerone and if you might be feeling a little bit cold. She may be the only person who simply wants you to happy. She embodies a species of wisdom: the knowledge that achievement is in the long-run over-rated. She’s seen children grow into lawyers and then judges; or A grade students, doctors and then surgeons - and it doesn’t amaze her because she’s also seen these people have messy personal lives, decline physically, develop prostate issues and die suddenly. It means she focuses on now, which explains her interest in mentioning that there used to be a dry-cleaners where there’s now a health food shop; her habit of saying ‘the’ facebook and her confusion at how her phone works. To honour this relationship is to acknowledge the primordial importance of love and tenderness.

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