One of the sweet benefits of the aging process is that you get to go shopping with your grand daughters and that somehow it is so much easier at the same age than it had been with your daughters. The lack of direct authority, perhaps, allows the grand daughters to speak more freely. Also, as a parent I was younger, more rushed, more goal oriented which would have put pressure on my daughters. With my grand daughters, if they don't see anything they like, that's fine, really, and not a waste of time that would make them feel guilty.



With the grand daughters, we are all liberated from those old parental urges and teenage angst. And how the grand daughters shop is also more liberating, and liberated. Take diamonds, which are not on each weekend's mall walk, and now for a reason. Where their mothers had steered clear of blood diamonds from Africa, events have trnspired to take those blood diamonds off the market with wars and warlords later, the world has moved on. And massive new diamond finds in Australia and in Canada have flooded the market with precious near diamonds of near perfect size and quality.

Our grand daughters know that blood diamonds are old news, and that new diamonds can be purchased in bulk amidst bargain sales over the net, which did not exist until recently. But now, the grand daughters have discovered low bid auctions, and have their friends over for a web party. Not every viewing party results in a purchase. But when that happens, there is much laughter and cheering. It gives me a warm feeling to see their triumphant gestures when they have pulled off a win.

In contrast, these days when we are at the mall the grand daughters are interested in the clothes: apparently they have to see it, feel it, amd then one of a handful, they try it on. Once the garment has been tried on the decision is quickly made, usually negative if the garment makes the wearer look fat. And this comment from a grand daughter as slender as a model. A diamond of a human being really, brains and beauty, and as well a quiet inner determination. It is well to observe your good works being acted out in a generation beyond that which you sweated so much about.

Now, at the grand parent stage it all seems so easy and natural, this process of birthing, creating and growing perfect people. You set your standards high and your children saw that and were influenced by that and it all became part of who she was to be, adapted by all the things that influenced that along the way. And now her children tell you that mom doesn't understand, and you go for a walk together and talk about that. You talk about the pressures of being a parent today, and how bothneed to work to pay the family finances, pressures a teen will learn much about all too soon.

How these diamonds of human beings affect your judgement will be seen in your behavior towards others. Do you show empathy for others? Or are you quick to take advantage of another's error? Our grand children are looking and listening while we unconsciously walk our talks each day in life. How much they need your love and approval will determine to what extent they incorporate your bad habits with your good. For they will hopefuly have heard honest fair values discussed at a Sunday School or some youth group or even at school.

How well you encourage their worthy behaviors will be shown soon enough in the compliments or complaints you receive from others about their behaviors. Loose diamonds are not only a commodity now available over the web, they could well stand for those individual souls we have put so much love and good values into that we know we have cast a diamond out among with ordinary carbons of life.