Always Pack Light For A Guilt Trip

I love my grandparents, I do. I don't see them often because we live far away. I speak to them maybe once a year but send letters a few times a year.

When I called my mom on her cell this weekend, she was at my grandparents' home. "do you want to talk to them?" she asked.

"Uh, okay."

Conversation was pretty much about weather, and a brief overview of what's going on with us (The Christmas letter is going out soon, they'll have all the details).

Grandma closed the conversation with, "well, tell the boys we say hello, even though they don't know who we are".

Thanks for the guilt trip Grandma.

It's true, only Elijah, the almost 5 year old has met them. We haven't been to Canada in 4.5 years. Meaning there is family who haven't met Miles. And it is hard for my grandparents (in their eighties) to travel, particularly Grandpa who has been having health issues the last two years. But let's look at it from my perspective:

Cost of four plane tickets to Edmonton: $2500

That doesn't include a rental car, meals eaten out, or probable hotel accommodations because who has room for 4 extra people in their house?

Sure I feel badly that my kids don't know their extended family. But I can't spend my time feeling guilty about things I have no control over.

I know my Grandma doesn't mean it maliciously. I imagine getting older, you want to be surrounded by loved ones. To see the future generations and ponder what their futures will hold.

Just think how my brother feels. He lives near them and gets the same talk from Grandma.