Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

I see that if you live long enough the attachment issue in Buddhism clarifies itself.  With our children our attachment is passionate and often misguided.  With grandchildren you feel the passion, but in a more detached way, as you are not "in charge" of anything, and the grandchildren are being raised without your advice.  At first I was hurt, as my kids would offer or withdraw their kids depending on their needs.  But now I realize the lesson is in letting go of all the ego around grandchildren, and simply enjoying them when you're with them.  And I've learned to think fondly of them without the desperate need to see or talk to them.  My role is really minimal, and I accept that.  I'm going to die, and I wouldn't want too great a loss to hit either my kids or grandkids, so there is automatic detachment on both sides.  I deeply appreciate what time I have with them and what they teach me, not what I might teach them.  My greatest gift to them is loving them unconditionally, and without expectation.  Each encounter is fresh and new and delightful, because I have no agenda, not even to make myself indespensible to them.  The more love they and I engage in, the better.  It's that simple.