Monday, June 16, 2008

Saying thanks to Grandparents, on Father's Day

marjorie says...

Here's a quote from the Father's Day speech Barack Obama gave yesterday, in which he talked about how important a child's upbringing is:

"Even though my father left us when I was 2 years old, and I only knew him from the letters he wrote and the stories that my family told, I was luckier than most. I grew up in Hawaii, and had two wonderful grandparents from Kansas who poured everything they had into helping my mother raise my sister and me -- who worked with her to teach us about love and respect and the obligations we have to one another," he told the audience. "I screwed up more often than I should've, but I got plenty of second chances. And even though we didn't have a lot of money, scholarships gave me the opportunity to go to some of the best schools in the country. A lot of kids don't get these chances today. There is no margin for error in their lives."

I was glad to see him acknowledge the important role grandparents play, especially in the absence of Father's. In fact, I'm close to a number of people who deserve their own special thank you on Father's Day, in light of the role they play as grandparents. So, to my parents, and to Dave: you guys rock.