Seanathair

Seanathair is Gaelic for grandfather, and I became one less than 72 hours ago.  It sounds cliché, but seeing my grandson for the first time was quite surreal.  He’s a lucky kid as he has a loving family with three uncles and four grandparents still in their 50’s – all close by.  Of course Liam Henry is a beautiful baby, but beyond that I wonder who he’ll become… and who he already is?  How much of who he’ll become will be nature versus all the nurturing he’s sure to experience?  How much of his personality is already pre-programmed and just waiting to emerge?

To the Liam Henry that will read this some time from now:  Know that you were loved even before you were born.  As you learn and develop and grow and mature, you will feel pressure to succeed and flourish.  Success is often defined by others, but the drive for significance comes from within.  It can only be achieved through the desire to serve and make a positive difference in the lives of others.  Your world will be more fast-paced and competitive than I can even imagine, but there will be considerable opportunities to lead and effect positive change.  There is no doubt the encouragement you’ll receive will help you determine your own path, because this loving family will help you develop the self reliance to know which questions to ask yourself while having the courage to answer them and act.

Welcome Liam Henry.  I can’t wait to see old things in new ways, and be enlightened from those questions I know you’ll ask.  I even hope I can answer a few of them.

Share This!

Posted in

Related Posts

4 Comments

  1. Mark Hudson on November 30, 2011 at 9:24 am

    Congrats, Grandpa! Have you bought him his first roadie yet?

  2. Jan Rutherford on November 30, 2011 at 9:39 am

    Indeed I have, Mark!

  3. Becky DeStigter on January 2, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    Jan, Congratulations!!

    I’m sure that you’ll learn much from Liam Henry as he grows.

  4. Jan Rutherford on January 2, 2012 at 5:59 pm

    Thanks, Becky. Happy New Year!!

Leave a Comment