G is for grandparenting, grab and go.

I never gave much thought to being a grandparent until I became one. Now I wouldn’t be without it.

Grandparenting may be a little like ice skating or swimming, neither of which I’m very good at. But I’m told that if you just relax the skills come easier. Maybe that’s the way it is with being a grandparent. Relax, be flexible and enjoy the moment. Because one thing I know for sure — the moments are fleeting. Those grandkids grow up pretty darn fast.

I’m Mimi to my granddaughters. To my grandson, I’m still Grandma. They’re keyed into my longevity goal and spur me on. “Just think, Mimi, you might have great, great, great grandchildren some day.

Imagine that!

Studies have shown that children lucky enough to have grandparents who live nearby grow up more serene and happy. There’s no official poll in our family but these quiet moments together could never be replaced by a cell phone or a computer.

Most of us, as grandparents, hope to influence our grandchildren in positive ways, leaving them a legacy of sorts of what is important in life. Grandparents are voices of the past, role models of the present and they can open doors to the future. Plus, it adds to my longevity goal. Research out of Switzerland and Germany studied 500 people between the ages of 70 and 103. They discovered that grandparents who help out with grandchildren live longer. Yipee! I’m on board.

Take for instance giving piano lessons to my granddaughter. What fun, but also a challenge to keep it enjoyable and interesting. I don’t know what is the sweetest sound — her little fingers tinkling the keys or her spontaneous laughter when she gets it right.

Who’s the teacher? No matter. It’s being together that counts.

I know all too well that these enjoyable moments with our grandkids are fleeting. So we grab every moment we can. The roads we travel are separate but occasionally we meet on the road, we grandparents and grandchildren, and when we do, we make memories for a long lived life.