A good friend of mine just became a grandmother for the first time. She is so excited and I’m so excited for her! Her comment the very first day was, “I love being a grandmother!!!!!!!!!!!!”

I know exactly how she feels. I remember the very first time I saw my first grandchild, newly born, sort of ugly really, but the most beautiful thing I had seen since the birth of my own children. I was instantly in love. There was a bond at that second that has remained throughout the years.

I knew in one second I was not only in love with that baby but I was in love with being a grandparent. How is that even possible after so short a time? I’m not sure how, but I know it is a true, sure thing.

I knew I would not only be willing to die to protect him, but I would be willing to do almost anything to keep him happy, strong, engaged, learning, laughing and healthy. And I knew all this in an instant.

It was as if I could see all the future times of playing with him, talking with him, sharing meals with him, laughing with him, walking with him in that one moment. Our lives together were very clear to me even though he was still only minutes old, we hadn’t touched and I had just seen him being whisked away to be measured and weighed.

In one moment I fell in love for ever. A unique love affair to be sure. A love that was very one-sided in the beginning, but still very satisfying. What he gave in return may not have been love, but it spoke to the depths of my heart.

Now, of course, it is a very mutual love. We speak it, we show it, we are aware of it. In the beginning, he absorbed all the love he could get as if it were due him, which I felt it was. As his grandmother, I felt obligated and most willing to give him everything in the world I thought was good for him, starting with my unconditional devotion.

As the years passed, I have had the same reaction with every grandchild that has come into my life – instant love, instant unconditional caring and devotion for life.

How I wish every child came into this world with a guarantee of instantaneous love.

How I wish every grandparent felt love and exaltation at the birth of every grandchild, and would know instantly how wonderful that child was.

How I wish every grandparent and grandchild had an unbreakable, life-long, love relationship they could both rely upon and cherish.

How I wish . . . . .