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Levy Randolph continued
are two things that I believe are within our
power to give that we often fail to offer each
day: love and inspiration. They are so versatile
and can impact anyone and influence
anywhere.
I learned about love at a young age from
someone who in my eyes loves anyone and
everyone. Make some noise if you have a
grandparent you love. Oh man, do I love my
Grandma Louise. She makes the best food.
Sorry Mom, I’ve been lying to you all these
years, but Grandma one ups you on this one.
Growing up in another country had its perks
and one of them was coming back to California
every summer for Christmas break
and staying with Granny because she would
be so happy to see my sister and me that
nothing we did was bad.
I got to tag along with her one day while
Mom and Dad were out. We began our day
by heading to the grocery store and I asked
her why she was buying more food because
we had enough at the house. She said, “Just
wait and stop asking questions L.G., grab
the list and help grandma find some of these
items.” So I took the mission set before me
and once we finished at the grocery store,
she drove us over to the Salvation Army. I
immediately thought I was getting brand
new clothes, especially when she asked,
“What do boys your age like to wear?” It’s
that kind of question that our parents ask
when they want to play it off as if they aren’t
buying us something, so I quickly walked
over to look for super hero shirts and nice
outfits for what most boys at my age would
go for. When she purchased them, I thought
to myself, “This is why I love my grandma!
I can’t wait to try these on.” As I dug into
the bag to grab some out and admire them
on our way home, she told me to put them
back in the bag. We pulled on to our street
and what happened next surprised me and a
life lesson was taught to me by my grandma
that day. We pulled onto the street she lived
on and instead of driving into the garage,
we passed my grandma’s house and went
a little ways down to another house where
a new family had just moved in. My G-Ma
Louise had gotten word that this new family
didn’t have much food or clothing cause
they couldn’t afford much, so she decided
to go out and buy these necessities for their
family. She dropped off the items without
expecting a thank you and just wanting to
do a good deed, yet the impact this made
was evident. I asked her later, why she had
gone and done that and she replied with,
“Because they share the same need and
want that we have L.G.” I asked, “What’s
that?” and she said, “Love.” All my life my
grandma’s message has stuck with me.
The unfortunate thing about my lovely,
beautiful grandmother is that she is no longer
on this earth. I lost her at the age of 12
and it was devastating. I remember crying
in classes at school randomly, because the
hurt was always there. What helped me get
through it all was remembering what she
told me while she was laying in that hospital
bed and I was saying goodbye before
we headed back to Japan. She said, “Make
sure you love other people.” She went on
to tell me how there are too many people
in this world that have hate in their hearts
and judge. She ended with, “Don’t be one
of them.” I didn’t know that would be the
last talk I would share with my Grandma
Louise. But although, she isn’t with us, her
legacy is. My grandmother left a legacy
of service, friendship and love. She would
open her home up to people in need, provided
the church with things like flowers
and loved reading and cooking for people in
the nursing homes.
When I look at the many conversations
I have had with her both before her passing
and after, the one thing that always managed
to show up was love. What it meant,
what it does, why we do it. What it means
is unique because to my grandma it was
the most important aspect of life. What it
does is unbelievable for it is love that is the
key to life and it is its influences that move
the world. Why we do it is simple, because
everybody in the world wants to be loved—
everybody! My G-Momma put it best when
she simply said Give Love!
If you really want to make the days in
your life worth something or truly matter,
then we must love something, but what we
do with the love is the key to the puzzle.
When you return home, try simply offering
five people a smile throughout the day.
Go up to someone who is eating lunch by
themselves and join them. At that point,
we’ve only scratched the surface and we
have to go deeper. Volunteer your time at
a homeless shelter or nursing home. Don’t
rub off someone cause they may be a little
different than you. Give love to your family
by supporting them in their endeavors with
encouraging words and acts of service. Give
love to your friends by being the listening
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