Love Story Reflection

As goofy as my grandparents are, I really admire their marriage. Much of my childhood was spent listening to their crazy stories about escapades in the Poconos, the Jersey Shore, and the movie theaters of Germantown. Over the years, I have developed deep respect for my grandparents' strong relationship and I hope someday to be able to have the same relationship with a boyfriend or husband.
My grandparents have taught me many things through their relationship, but what has always struck me is their humor, their support and their family values. As heard in the recordings, my grandfather especially always has a quick quip for whatever my grandfather says. He is always joking, and my grandmother is always laughing with him, even at the jokes that at this point in my career as his granddaughter, I have heard upwards of 20 times. I think the fact that my grandparents can laugh together exhibits what a strong relationship they have because of course life has not always been kind to them. However, they have always supported each other. They both grew up in very poor families in Germantown, Philadelphia. My grandfather, like most of his older siblings, was determined to make it out of Germantown, to make a better life for himself. He enrolled at La Salle University to get his bachelor's degree and my grandmother worked crazy hours to help pay for it. In 1980, my grandfather finally earned his MBA, and started to make his way in the world of banking and finance. I have always appreciated my grandmother in how supportive she was of my grandfather, even when it meant she had to work copiously as well as care for my mom and her siblings. Finally, I love how involved my grandparents are with the family. From a young age, my grandparents have imbued in me a deep sense of commitment to family. My grandmother mentioned how she has become the adoptive sister of my grandfather's sisters. I specifically asked her to talk about that facet of her relationship with my grandfather through his family because it has been so important to my childhood and it is something I want to emulate with my future significant other. I grew up very close to my great-aunts. In the same way that my grandmother is their sister, I am their granddaughter. My third cousin, Sarah, is actually one of my best friends and closest relatives because our grandmother's are best friends and our moms are best friends. I think that is not something many other families experience. If I ever have children or a husband, I want to follow my grandparents' example.
I love my grandparents and they have been such an integral part of my life as role models and their marriage inspires me.