This collection of memoirs arose from the author''s induction into the world of parenting at age 55. A widower the year before, he had long ago put away any thoughts of having or raising children. Enter the love of his life who happens to have two children and in short time he is being quizzed on his diapering skills. Holding his first grandchild he is struck by the realization that the love of a child does not require a biological connection - it is innate. Each contact recorded in these memoirs illustrates that it is in our nature to love and nurture a child and that perhaps this is even greater when the child is not your own. Foolish that he had rejected adoption during his first marriage and aware of the estimate of 132 million orphans worldwide, the author makes a strong statement in favor of adopting these children. He also learns that parenting requires commitment and hard work as well as finding out how to play a caterpillar in charades. With the delightful experiences of being a grandparent detailed within come questions of life expectancy and whether grandfathers can contribute as much as grandmothers. The loss of a cherished pet is followed by the news of another life to come. Memories of his own childhood are stimulated and contrast with the development of his two granddaughters. This collection of essays details the author''s initiation into the world of parenting - a world that he had once rejected - with the hope that it will stimulate others to consider following in his footsteps.
