Blog #19: Plastics Erin Holbrook

"It's good to see you, Grampa."
"It's good to be seen."
My grandfather always had something clever to say. From witty remarks to simple advice, that was the kind of man he was. Any childhood disappointment or injury was immediately met with "Are you going to live until you get married?" which was hilarious at the time. An awkward silence was immediately filled with any of the dozens of Irish songs he knew by heart, many of them comedic. One of his most common phrases was "be kind to yourself." Whenever a visit ended and it came time to say goodbye, the room was filled with "Take care of yourself", "drive safe", or "I'll miss you." But my Grandfather's parting comment was always the same: "Be kind to yourself." Anytime anyone was to leave for an extended period, that was what he said to them. It always struck me as odd, and it wasn't until much later that he explained it. The advice he was passing on in full is to "be kind to yourself, because if you aren't kind to yourself, you can never be kind to others". It is some of the best advice I think a person can receive. It's true in many ways. If you are too concerned with your stress, your concerns, your problems, then its hard to remember or be concerned with anyone else. His advice was not to dwell on your failures and misfortunes, and instead to let yourself be happy. His advice is a reminder that it's okay to cut yourself some slack and just enjoy life. And, more importantly, it reminds you what the priority should be: to be kind to others.