When I was a child I loved it when Grandmother got in the swimming pool with us.  It was special because she left the adults, all gathered poolside to visit and watch the kids, to come be with us in the water, watching us dive and do flips and swim and giving us the gift of her undivided attention.  But she never got her hair wet, and would rarely let us splash her or do cannonballs close.  I always wondered about that.  Swimming underwater, that feel of being completely submerged in the cool water oblivious to the sounds above was bliss for me.  I couldn’t imagine why grandmother didn’t want that too.

When I became an adult I realized it was about The Hair.  There are a few fortunate women whose hair naturally looks fantastic no matter what, but for the rest of us it is often about The Hair.  If I was going to swim and get my hair wet, I had to plan enough to time to wash, dry and re-style it afterward.

Then I married and had children.  Blissful submersion underwater gave way to responsible parenthood.   When they were old enough to swim I got in the pool with them but I didn’t get my hair wet.   I understood why Grandmother hadn’t either.

Now I am the Grandmother.  Most of my grands call me Grandma or Grandma Kim, and I love this stage of life.  No offense to my dear Grandmother, long passed, but I decided that I would be a Grandma who gets her hair wet.  There are exceptions, but most of the time I suit up, get in the pool, play Marco Polo, have races to the other side and do some real swimming.  I push floats, let myself be soaked by a cannonball wave, and get sprayed by water pistols.  At the lake I jump off the back of the boat with the grandchild who asks me to.  It’s freeing, exhilarating, and going under is as blissful as ever (as long as it’s not at the hands of my brother).

I’m not the only one.  There are other Grandmas that get their hair wet, and often that the kind of Grandma is the kind who lets her grands eat ice cream cones in the car (even ones dipped in chocolate), dances and sings to Vacation Bible Songs while trying the hand motions, pretends to be scared to delight a toddler, speaks both 4 yr old and tweener-talk, is comfortable either texting or using chalk on the sidewalk, doesn’t sweat the small stuff, always has car snacks, can be surprisingly reasonable, knows how and when to sooth those hurt young feelings, and sees the child still inside the unpredictable teen.  If she’s a Christ follower she will love unconditionally, always be ready with a Bible story and will let her Light shine.   She knows how to make even the most mundane task fun, knows the value of a well-timed popsicle, bakes cookies with grands and lets them lick the beaters, and most of the time will read the same book seven times in a row.  She supports the parents, limits unsolicited advice and is able to keep opinions to herself (most of the time).   She still cries when the grandkids leave, though not always with outside tears.

Be that kind of Grandma.  Get your hair wet.  Soak them in God’s love.  Your grands will love you for it.