Skipping Grandma

There is something kind of neat about walking the girls to school. I don't do it all that often. I'm normally off to work and Rob takes them. But every few weeks I get the chance. In the 10 or 15 minutes before the bell rings there seems to be a general to-ing and fro-ing of people walking kids to school from around the neighbourhood. Seems obvious I guess, but it makes up a neat little community of folks with a small shared goal and even understanding of problems. (i.e. the poor mom running with the kids at full stride down the sidewalk, three blocks away, seconds before the bell is set to ring.) Everyone says 'hi' or 'good morning' to each other - whether or not they know you. One of the girls' friends always yells out hi to me by name when she sees me because she thinks it's neat that I have the same name as her mom.

Today I saw three kids walking with their grandma. They were coming towards me on the sidewalk as I was returning from dropping the girls.

"C'mon Grandma! Skip with us!" one of the girls said.

"Okay," she responded, much to her credit.

I mean, how can you not smile and say good morning to a fully grown adult who skips past you on the sidewalk in the morning?