The holidays presented a wonderful opportunity for my husband, Bruce, and I to take our two 14-year-old granddaughters to Florida for a few days. Maddie and Jessie, seven weeks apart, growing up as sister/cousins and to quote one of them, "are sharing their lives!"

The holidays presented a wonderful opportunity for my husband, Bruce, and I to take our two 14-year-old granddaughters to Florida for a few days. Maddie and Jessie, seven weeks apart, growing up as sister/cousins and to quote one of them, “are sharing their lives!” They live in the same community, have friends in common, are both gifted in their different talents, and both are the object of our adoration!

We did so many things in the five days together, and it gave us a window into not only their lives, but the lives of young people today. They are smart, they are sophisticated, they are knowledgeable. And when it comes to technology, they are light years beyond our wildest imaginations. They are fearless, and they know that even if one technique doesn’t work, they will find one that does. I, who am terrified my ONE way to do anything on the computer won’t work, watched with amazement as they “fixed” several problems, and NOT just by pulling out the plug and rebooting.

It was very hard not to feel so old around them. But in contrast, I felt so young as I saw the world through their eyes the day we went to BUTTERFLY WORLD, not too far from our condo. Suddenly, these girls who are, as I mentioned, sophisticated and worldly (after all, they can “travel” the world on the internet until they actually do it in person) were little girls again, and so was I! We watched baby butterflies emerge from their cocoons, and we saw them as close as humanly possible.  As they flew around us we studied them, actually looked at them, saw their beauty in front of us, and we were all children, amazed by what Mother Nature has created. Some butterflies were as colorful as a rainbow, while some were monotone with markings that astounded us. We grew protective of their space, learned what we could of their lives, and watched them in this habitat. It was an experience filled with wonder, and it was wonderful to experience it together.

Although being with our two teenaged ladies, the daughters of our daughters, reinforces our age and stage of life, for that one day, that one time Bruce and I shared the amazement of the young, and of our young! We have watched the metamorphosis of these beautiful girls as they become gorgeous butterflies right before our eyes!

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