A Generation Ends, A Generation Begins

*Our kids are being given Official Blog Names tonight: Snake, the older boy, and Moose, the younger boy*

We are dealing with the last days of the long life of my Grandmother-In-Law, (Gramma). Gramma is a beautiful woman I feel honored to know. She took me into her home and life without a second thought. She argued with me over who was going to wash dishes after a dinner made for her, (she lost-I got into the kitchen first). We had a no-holds-barred argument one night that had us in tears and apologizing to each other later. Gramma told me a lot about her life, and I wish I could have heard more and recorded it so the kids could know more about her. She has lived a long life and passed on many of her wonderful qualities to Smith, like her kindness, and we have been trying to pass those basic qualities to the kids.
I had a long talk with my ex earlier today about Snake. He has been having long talks with a man that the ex's wife's godmother knows from her church. This man comes to the godmother's house,( the ex lives in the in-law unit in the back of the property), and does yard work. Apparently this man is homeless, and Snake has spent time,(supervised, Smith, don't spaz), talking with him and learning how he got to where he is now. This man is a Vietnam Vet, and was surprised that some fairly well off kid would be interested in his life's story. The ex says Snake has been out with him and seen people who look hungry on the street and given them his pocket change. (I know there are a lot of people scamming on the street. I can usually tell when someone is trying to get money for food as opposed to sitting there jonesing and trying to get enough money to score. I've pointed the difference out to the kids.)
Snake is not the easiest kid to deal with. But he's shown he's kind, thinks of other people, and can size people up. I'm glad the lessons have been sinking in. I'm glad those lessons were given to me and Smith, with all the differences of opinion we have it's good the core values are the same. And I'm glad we've managed to teach those lessons to Snake. I'm sure Moose is getting them, too.
The faces change, but the basic lessons stay the same, generation to generation.