What a joy it is to have another generation of people in our family. It's not just that my three grandsons are adorable, exceptional, brilliant and funny. (Of course they are, right?)

It's that they enrich our lives so much. At each birthday party Blaise is very helpful in blowing out the candles on the happy-cake, as he calls it. Their perspective, their joy, their humor are sources of great delight for all of us.

Here is Blaise, almost three, learning from Grandpa how to make french toast. Everything is new to the very young, their minds soaking up information like magnificent sponges. They're interested in everything!

The love we have for our children is somehow distinct from the love we have for our grandchildren.. The delight is differently magnified, the devotion intensified, the forbearance increased many fold. The love becomes even more unconditional because, let's face it, raising them is not our responsibility, not our problem.

My job is to love them with all my heart, leaving the hard stuff to their parents.

Only love, no responsibility. It doesn't get much better.