All Those Times Grandma Would Take Me To The Lake

My grandma used to drive me out to a lake and let me dig for rocks. I often found beautiful polished stones of every different color. At my cousin’s wedding, when I was about 28 years old, he mentioned, “All those times grandma would take you to the lake to dig for rocks, it wasn’t just a fun outing.” I was puzzled and asked what he meant. He smiled and explained that our grandma had a secret. The lake wasn’t just any lake—it was near an old quarry where polished stones were occasionally discarded. She knew I loved collecting them and turned it into a treasure hunt for me.

What touched me most was that she’d spend hours polishing the stones herself, making them shine like gems, just to see my face light up. At the wedding, my cousin handed me a small box. Inside were the most stunning stones, each engraved with a year—marking every trip we took. He said, “She wanted you to have these, a piece of every memory.” Tears welled up as I realized how much love went into those outings. Grandma passed away a year later, but those stones remain my most cherished treasure, a testament to her endless care.