Prior Story     The Hero Project     Next Story    

My Grandma
by Amelia H.

Click the image to see it larger in a new window

My grandmother was a lot of things, but one thing I remember for most of all was being patient. My Grandmother was heavily built, with very short light brown hair, and rosy cheeks. She was a great person.

One day in early August I was in my grandparent's backyard, in Rhode Island. I had just finished feeding my grandpa's fish, and was playing in the grass outside, when my grandmother came outside, and told me to follow her.(

"Where are we going?" I asked as we walked across the dewy wet morning grass. "I am going to teach you how to ride on a swing." She said calmly.(

"But Grandma," I said, "It'll take me a long time to learn." She said no more to me as we neared the swing, hanging off of a tree by a thick rope. My Grandma told me to sit on the swing. I turned around and hopped onto the swing.

"Grandma? I asked "Is this swing going to break while I'm on it?"

"No, don't worry." I admired the way she was so patient with me while I got comfortable on the swing.

After I had gotten comfortable on the swing my grandma started to push me. At first I was a little nervous about falling off.

After a long time my grandmother noticed that I was getting more and more comfortable, so she started going higher.

After a little bit more of just pushing, my grandma stopped. "Did you like that?" My grandma asked.

"Yeah!!!" I shouted.

Now you will learn how to do that on your own. She said My grandma slowly taught me how to pump and in about an hour and a half I had learned how to pump!!!

My grandmother pushed me up high into the air; my stomach did a flip flop, my hair was waving wildly through the wind, it felt wonderful, I was soaring back down, but I had forgotten to pump!!! I slowly came to a stop.

I was disappointed; I thought I would get through at least one full swing. My grandma didn't get discouraged.

"That was a very good try Amelia" she said.

I looked up at my grandma and as soon as I saw her smile, looking down at me I knew that I wouldn't give up until she did.

"Grandma." I said firmly "I want to keep trying."

"Good I'm glad you won't give up.

I couldn't help but gleam with happiness that my grandmother was proud of me.

I kept practicing for about an hour more when finally my grandma pushed me into the air, my stomach did a very small flip flop as I soared up into the air. I started to come down, and I thrust my legs out in front of me. Before I could even think about it I was falling back, and I instantly put my legs back.

I did it a few more times; I got so high that I could see right down the road. The sun was directly over my head and I thought how carefree it felt to be so high up. Finally I called out to my grandmother.

Grandma, look at me I'm really swinging, I actually did it!!!!!!!!!

My grandma smiled up at me.

Soon she told me that it was 2:00, and it was time for lunch. She also told me I had been learning how to swing for about 5 hours.

You did a great job. She told me.

I smiled back at her.

I ate lunch, and spent the rest of the day swinging.