Few things leave as lasting a deposit in a child’s life as the love of a grandparent.

I had the best great-grandmother in the world — Nana.

Nana would bump down country roads in her large, shiny Cadillac from the farm to my suburban neighborhood to pick me up for the weekend. Almost like clockwork, 30 minutes into our 50-minute drive back to her farm, she’d pull off the country road into the fabulous driveway of “Little George’s.”

Oh, how I loved “Little George’s.” I knew we were there the moment I saw that big statue of a pig out front and the brown wooden façade of that old country store. That meant one thing: I’d soon get to pick any candy I wanted. Big candy, too!

And that was just the beginning. At Nana’s house, we’d have what I called a “sugar party” — sundaes with whipped cream, and coconut cakes already baked and ready to go. We’d indulge while watching TV. Nana loved westerns.

One day, the entire extended family came over. We had card tables lined up outside, covered with Maryland crabs, while the smell of Old Bay seasoning rose into the sky. Everyone chatted loudly, their hands as messy as the feast itself. But then Nana looked over at me and gave me that unmistakable “come-hither” finger.

I listened. I walked over.

She looked me in the eye and said,
“Kelly, run in the house and pull open the second drawer down in the cabinet. There’s a candy for you there. Get it. It’s for you.”

I ran off, all giddy.

Nana saw me.
Nana gave to me.
Nana loved me — especially.

Love is the greatest investment a grandparent can ever make to build a lasting legacy. And love often looks like generosity.

Love is the greatest investment a grandparent can ever make to build a lasting legacy.

For me? Sure, Nana had a huge farmhouse. She had a nice car. She probably had a big bank account.

But that’s not what made her.

What made her was her heart — a heart that gave, a heart that saw me.

Nana had a heart that likely understood what it felt like to be the oldest of six kids — like a constant babysitting job that never ended. She came and rescued me. She gave me abundance in my time off. She saw me.

And I am perpetually thankful for that.

Nana — and all grandparents — hold tremendous power.
Their welcome mat of love glistens.
Their knowing hearts see.
Their generosity speaks louder than words ever could.
Their presence says, “I care.”
Their loving embrace tells a child, “You matter.”

And that is what generations remember.
It is the heart of the matter — the love — that, for decades to come, will not be forgotten.

It is the heart of the matter — the love — that, for decades to come, will not be forgotten.

“Love never fails.” — 1 Corinthians 13:8 (NIV)
“Love endures all things.” — 1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)

I will never fail to remember the love of my Nana:
Generous.
Seeing.
Perceiving.
Intentional.
Time-giving.
Noticing.And so, while it may seem simple…
Love is what creates a legacy that truly lasts.