OPINION

I am now a senior in college and I couldn’t be happier. This is going to be an amazing year, but I have to keep my priorities in check and have a balanced lifestyle.

My grandma maintains balance better than any person I know. 

My grandma has many activities that she participates in throughout the week. She is a retired nurse, but she is not a couch potato. My grandma definitely stays busy. She visits hospice patients throughout the week, organizes luncheons at her church and sings as a member of a community group called “The Village Singers.”

My grandma also directs her church choir. She never misses her Sunday evening practice because she always puts her best effort into what she does. 

So, you might be asking yourself how my grandma spends her free time. 

My grandma spends her free time on the bicycle trail. Biking is the one activity that she is truly obsessed with. When she puts her helmet on and enters the Greenway Trail in Lisbon, Ohio, she is right at home. 

My grandma bikes to relax, but she also does it to stay physically fit. The amount of miles that she puts in is something to behold. My grandma is in her mid 70s and she still manages to ride at least 30 miles on a sunny day. This past summer she rode many miles in Florida and participated in the statewide Great Ohio Bike Adventure (GOBA). My grandma never stops. 

My dad and I went down to the trail a month ago to get a few miles in. We only traveled a total of 4.25 miles, so it’s needless to say that I’ve spent too much time watching TV and eating fast food recently. We still had a wonderful time. 

My grandma is also the ultimate caregiver. She met my grandfather, Clair, after a piece of metal burned his ankle at work and he had to go to the hospital. My grandma made it her mission to take care of my pap throughout his entire life. My pap passed away 2 years ago, but his relationship with my grandma still lives on. 

My grandfather battled lung cancer during the final years of his life, and he was not able to eat his favorite dessert, ice cream. Before he passed away, Pap left a few gift cards in his van. 

My grandma still uses this van often. During their anniversary on August 8, she found these gift cards. They had money left on them and they weren’t expired. Therefore, my grandma happily explained to me and my dad that Pap bought her ice cream for their anniversary this year. 

My grandma also took care of my brother Mitchell and me when we were growing up. When my mom and dad went back to work after we were born my grandma retired from nursing and took care of us until we were in kindergarten. My grandma would come over every morning, make us breakfast, and take us to preschool. The time that we spent together helped Mitchell and I form a bond with her that we will have forever. Grandma now gets to babysit our dog Belle when we are away from home. I love that Belle gets to make fun memories with Grandma just like we did. 

My grandma and I are very similar because we are always busy doing things. She is one of my most important influences, and I hope to one day become half the amazing human being that she is. I will always try to stop by and spend as much time with her as I can. 

I will also always have room in my stomach for her famous French toast and scrambled eggs. 

Michael Reiner is a columnist. Contact him at [email protected].