My Two-Cents: My Grandparents & Social Workers
Last Friday, I had lunch with my grandparents since they happened to be swinging through the cities. The reason for their impromptu visit (that had me stoked, since I don’t see my grandparents as much anymore!) was my grandpa’s retirement moonlighting job – he drives cars for Honda. If you asked him, he’d tell you he likes the job because he gets paid to drive all around the Midwest. If you asked my grandma why she likes his retirement gig, she’d say it keeps him busy and out of her hair! This leaves her free to go to Bagel Boy and gamble on Majoun with her gal pals all day, which also happens to be her retirement gig. My grandparents didn’t always have these fun side jobs – they are both retired social workers. I didn’t really know what my grandparents did when I was younger; I just thought they were cool people who happened to know someone everywhere! I suppose that was the side-effect of having a job talking and connecting with people all day. Now that I’m older and (debatably) wiser, I know my grandparents were both long-time workers in one of the most valuable and underappreciated careers.
I (along with the other grandchildren in my family) admire my grandparents for many reasons. Mostly, I admire how they are the epitome of altruism – they are willing to do anything for others without assuming anything in return. This makes them not only gems of human beings in my eyes but also top-notch workers in human services in the eyes of others. We recognize a lot of jobs in the human service realm, but social workers seem to be the ones that are often forgotten. It’s easy to forget to thank social workers, and that’s part of what makes their work so remarkable – and so heartbreaking. These individuals dedicate their lives to lifting others up often in the face of immense challenges. They quietly navigate the shadows of our society, addressing problems that many of us don’t even see or prefer to ignore. Yet, their efforts often go unnoticed, their sacrifices unacknowledged. Without them, countless lives would crumble under the weight of hardship. Yet, some of the most beautiful stories of compassion and human interaction have come from social workers/my grandparents. Here is a story from a couple of years ago that emulates my grandparents to a tee, shared by my uncle.
““So a really cool thing happened today. I was seeing a patient for his 2-week check-up after bilateral total knees. He was doing great and was really happy about how things were going. After wrapping everything up, his wife asked me if my dad’s name is Larry. She then pulled out this picture and explained that it is from their wedding day in 1981. Their son, who is the boy in the picture, had autism, and at the time they needed help taking care of him so he was staying in Sioux Falls at a home. My father was his social worker. On the day of their wedding my mother and father, on a Saturday, and their day off, drove their son out to the middle of South Dakota to ensure that their son was able to be at their big event.
There are several occupations that never get their due respect and we should all thank them, including teachers, nurses, police, firefighters, and many others. But one that never seems to get mentioned is social workers. So to all the social workers out there...thank you!!!
And to Mom and Dad, this was an incredible story to hear but in no way did it surprise me! Thanks for being an inspiration to being a better person every day.””
Stories like this further cement my sentiment towards my grandparents – if I can be half as kind, half as compassionate, and half as altruistic – I’d call my efforts a success. Moreover, my grandparents awe me in their ability to become a steady anchor for those navigating turbulent waters — but in no way is this ability stranger to any other social worker I know. It’s a testament to the profound impact of compassion and dedication, which define the social workers I admire. So thank you to my Grandparents, my dear friend Morgan, and the many other countless social workers for being an inspiration to be better everyday!
With Love,
Kate
