No matter who you are, your grandparents have touched your heart in one way or another.

“Grandparents are important because they are always there for you,” said Heather Herrera, a freshman Communications major at Palo Alto College. “Grandparents are like another set of parents.”

Grandparents are located at the center, where it all started. Without grandparents, none of us would be here. Whether we believe it or not, we are an extension of our grandparents.

Erich Ehlinger, a second-year Aeronautical Science Pro Flight major at Palo Alto College, said, “Not only do grandparents pass on a heritage and a last name, but they often help younger people gain a vision for their own grandchildren.”

An unspoken bond occurs between grandparents and their grandchildren, almost like a code their parents do not understand. When your parents are not there for you and you need someone to talk to or just be around, your grandparents are there. When your parents are unable to take care of you, your grandparents are there. As you grow up, your grandparents are an authority figure. Sometimes they are strict, but when it comes down to it, they would give you the shirt off their back to make sure that you are okay.

Kindel Bremerman, a sophomore Communications major at Palo Alto College, said, “My Granny is the coolest woman on the planet! She’ll do anything and everything for me.”

Grandparents are knowledgeable. They have lived longer, and they have many things to teach us. Some grandparents can talk for hours at a time. They are worldly and educated, not always by school, but by experience. They have seen and done it all, maybe twice. When you want to learn about your heritage, your past, your traits, where you got your character, talk with your grandparents.

Sarah Haass, a sophomore Psychology major at Palo Alto College, said, “When I am around my grandparents, it helps me to get a better understanding of myself, because I see myself in them. They give me more knowledge about myself. The decisions I make and the values I possess I learned from my grandparents.”

Parents are said to be our first teachers, but who is it that taught them? Their parents. Therefore, it can be said that our grandparents are our first teachers. Our parents learned right from wrong through them. Though many have vowed to never be like their parents, they are, in fact very much alike.

The same rules and laws have been passed down from generation to generation, changing a few things here and there, but the gist of it is still the same. Grandparents teach their own family values and beliefs, and they are passed down to their children, then to their grandchildren, who will pass them on to their children. It all comes together; and though we may not look or talk exactly like our grandparents, many of their traditions and philosophies come shining through in us.

Lauren Maleske, a sophomore Pre-Law major at Palo Alto College, said, “I believe that grandparents carry first-hand knowledge of events that some of our teachers can not teach us. Just sitting there and listening to my grandparents talk about World War II is amazing.”

Every moment spent with grandparents should be cherished, because there is no way to know when their time will be up. Some children are raised by their grandparents for several different reasons, and the bond they form is often taken for granted. When was the last time you told your grandmother or grandfather you love them? When was the last time you told them how much you cared? Your time with them should reflect how you feel about them and how much they mean to you. When your mom tells you “no,” who do you go to?

Shannon Sledge, a sophomore Social Work major at Palo Alto College, said, “My grandma is always there for me, especially when I need her most. When I have a problem or I just need advice, she is there for me.”

The relationships that we build and the lessons we learn from our grandparents will last more than a lifetime. Grandparents will continue to be there for us, and they will continue to love and care for us. There will always be a special place in our hearts for each of them.