Some people are the backbone of the family without ever asking for recognition. They carry the weight without complaint and hold everything together as if it's the most natural thing in the world. Grandparents are often those people, not just through their presence, but through their stories, resilience, and the example they set. In a world that never stops changing, they are the anchors that connect us to who we are and where we come from. In this personal essay, our intern Ingeborg reflects on the important role grandparents play in preserving family ties, creating cherished childhood memories, and sharing advice rooted in a lifetime of experience. It illustrates how grandparents, often quietly and without recognition, form the foundation of a family. 

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This is a tribute to one of them, my grandmother, whose life stands as a reminder of what it means to be steadfast, courageous and caring. Her story is personal with a rollercoaster of moments that many can relate to or may will someday: the grief of loss, the strength to move forward, the power of unconditional love, the feeling of a world moving faster than you are, and the ultimate joy of freedom. The magic of grandparents is that they are the ones who keep the family together. Through yearly Christmas dinners, birthday gatherings, and most importantly, the way they pass on stories about everyone in the family. Even if you haven’t seen someone in years, you always feel up to date because of them. 

My grandmother has always been a natural storyteller, not just because she loves to talk, but because her life has been full of remarkable moments worth sharing. Like many of her generation, she has witnessed the world change at an incredible pace. From meeting your future husband at the local pub, to navigating online dating platforms. And while it can be difficult to keep up, she has always been open to adapt.

Growing up in a picturesque, historic and charming shipyard village, life was simple but complete. Zwartsluis had a bakery, a butcher, a dairy farmer who delivered milk to your door, and a post office. Just enough to meet your needs and nothing more. Today, that world has all but disappeared. Small businesses have made way for large chains, and the charm of local, personal service has been replaced by efficiency and convenience. To younger generations, this shift may seem like a natural progress, for grandparents it marks a world apart from what they were used to. Modern innovations are meant to make life easier, but easier doesn’t always mean better.

What I’ve learned from my grandmother’s pre-digital life is the value of boldness in human connection. She taught me not to hide behind screens or wait for opportunities to arrive. If you want something, go after it. Not just by sending a message but by showing up. Ask questions, be curious, explore and take interest in people and cultures. That’s how you learn about the world around you and get comfortable with the uncomfortable. It was a lifestyle my grandmother embraced herself too. She had never written a motivation letter in her life. Instead, she hopped on her bike, went straight to the company to experience the workplace herself. Ironically, her very first task during the first days was to send rejection letters to the other applicants. 

Life has given my grandmother, and everyone around her, more than enough setbacks. Maybe it’s the quiet power that children have over their mothers that keeps them going. Becoming a single mother after her first husband passed away at a young age, her life was mainly focused on her children. However, there comes a time when the kids grow older and it’s time to focus on your own passion and hobbies. She had always felt drawn to teaching and once hoped to pursue a study in that direction. Unfortunately, the study did not get off the ground. With her interest in art, the right decision was to attend the art academy Kampen (now Artez), with the idea that she would still be able to teach afterwards. What she learned there never left her. Even now, her memory is sharp, and she shares her knowledge with joy.

After completing art school, plans changed. Instead of becoming a teacher, she built a future together with her late husband by starting a technical drafting recruitment agency, focusing on engineering projects. With him already being a yacht designer, there was a natural interest in engineering. However, it was hard for him to find a job when they started living together in Zwolle. This challenge sparked a creative idea to hire an engineering designer for placement at client companies. Over time, they recognized the growing popularity of designing programs like AutoCad and confidently integrated these tools into their business.

Although my grandmother was initially reluctant, she quickly found her feet in the company by taking on tasks such as client relations and human resources.

Unexpectedly, they only got to work side by side for two years before he passed away, leaving my grandmother to become the head of the company. She ran the business from 8:00 to 17:30, cooked for her children, and managed the household. Even in the workplace, her perseverance and compassion were reflected every day. She trusted her employees’ advice and believed in working alongside them rather than above them. Yet, the most characteristic approach was her willingness to take risks. This became the foundation of a successful company. She may have been a woman in a male-dominated field, but she didn’t care. In fact, being such a practical person, it never even occurred to her that there could be a difference. She proved that courage and care can build both a family and a thriving business and above all: with the right mindset there is no room for a male-female division.

Little did she know that she would travel the world a few years later. After upholding the business for twelve years, it was finally time to experience true freedom. Not completely unexpected, sailing gave her that sense. Ships had always been part of the family and a shared passion with her late husband. Her great-grandfather built the Oosterschelde, a majestic Dutch tall ship that still sails today and has just returned from a remarkable journey, retracing Darwin’s legendary voyage around the world. Yet, she didn’t rely on others, but honed her skills by volunteering on small sailing ships and many adventures followed. From staring eye to eye with a massive whale in Spitsbergen to navigating around the paradise islands of Indonesia. Being such an open person, always keen to learn from others, she obtained all the history, local knowledge and architecture for many more stories to tell.

But no matter where she was in the world, family was what always brought her home. Just as with the birth of her grandchildren, she did not hesitate a moment to return to the Netherlands to meet the newborns in person. When we were growing up, we spent a lot of time with my grandmother in Vlissingen near the sea. We would get up together at 6 a.m. to look through the telescope when a massive ship passed by and head to the beach at 7 a.m. for a dive in the ocean. We spent the rest of the day collecting shells, building sandcastles, and watching jellyfish with fascination, only to be stung by them and then treated to ice cream to soothe the pain. Barefoot, sandy, and satisfied, we walked back to the flat for our favourite pasta Bolognese dinner, to end the day completely exhausted, followed by the best night’s sleep so we could do it all over again the next day. 

Spending time with my grandparents from both sides has taught me that they are the bridge of the family, with the wisdom we all need from time to time, shaped by a lifetime of experience. My grandmother's lively stories about all her adventures inspire me to go out and explore, to keep learning, and give me the confidence that I can take on the world. But they also keep me grounded in the importance of family, of supporting them as they always did. From the little life lessons such as: “put on your hat, it's cold outside” to the most important milestones in your life, like graduating. 

Although it can be scary to grow old, every age has a purpose, and as grandparents maybe even the most important one. When the moment comes that they are no longer with us, their wisdom never leaves, guiding us until we grow old ourselves. Then, it will be our turn to share our own experience with the next generation.