Grandma’s Social Network
by Lois MelbourneMy grandma has an amazing social network, all of it in the real world, not electronic. This month is Grandma’s month; she turned 91.
She still lives in her own home. She is alert, peppy and the most pragmatic woman I have ever met in my life. I have tremendous respect for Grandma. She has taught me many life lessons. One of them is that a little bit of risk is really worth taking. At 88 she fulfilled a dream of getting a ride on a 4 wheeler. ”I just always thought it would be fun” she told me. She had a blast.
Another thing she has taught me is how beautiful the care and feeding of your social network is. The majority of the family gathered this weekend in rural Iowa for Grandma’s birthday. All through the weekend friends and family who live near by stopped in, dropped off cards and flowers, told all of us that Grandma is such a wonderful person, and shared in the celebration of her birthday. For her 90th, we had a birthday party in the small farm community where she has always lived, and over 125 people showed up. (The only gathering that big in Iowa in 2007 that didn’t have a political candidate in attendance, I’ll bet.)
All of this happens because Grandma has always taken care of others. Her calendar is full of people’s birthdays and anniversaries, and up until a few years ago, she always acknowledged every one of them somehow. She would share the wealth of her garden and her time with anyone that wanted it or had a need. She was an ER nurse into her 60s and helped with Hospice care for people all over the county. People know she has a great heart and has done so much for others. They, in return, are always willing to help her out in any way they can.
This is an important lesson as we build our connections within our social networks (in person and on-line). If you want to tap into your social network at sometime, you need to care and feed the relationships you have. Make introductions to people who need to know each other. Send articles of interest to somebody who may not have caught it. Remember people’s birthdays; ask how you can help them. Then you truly have a network, not just a rolodex.
Happy Birthday, Grandma! It was a wonderful weekend!
Cheers,
Lois
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