Some of my earliest and fondest memories as a child have involved my grandparents. Long walks on the beach, snowmobile rides in the mountains, ice cream cones slowly melting in the heat of an afternoon walk. Sledding down the hill in their neighborhood in the winter. The magic of a good blizzard with hot chocolate and a warm blanket.

When I think of my grandparents, I think of love. One can't exist without the other. On this Grandparents Day, what grand things are you going to do for your grandparent this year?

Grandparents Day is an organization dedicated to encouraging us to reach out and learn from our elderly predecessor. They have dedicated their website to helping everyone learn how their grandparents influenced their world, so we can be better influences in ours. If you, or your family, want to get involved on a global scale this is the site for you.

The Grandparents website gives some great information on when the holiday was first established. It also has some fun games or activities to plan with your family this year to honor your grandparents.

Grandchildren can be very helpful in creating a great memory this Grandparents Day. Even sitting a child down with just a box of crayons and some paper can allow them to come up with a picture, or creation for their grandparent. They will feel important, and needed, by being a part of this fun day for your family.

1. Establish a tradition

Why not have a picnic, a hike, or eat at a certain restaurant every Grandparents Day?

2. Learn about your family

Make this day special by learning about your grandparents and write their stories down. Search for pictures of them and create an archive of history.

3. Make it a celebration

Throw a party, bake a cake. Make it a day to celebrate the lives of your grandparents.

4. Those who have gone before

If your grandparents have already left this world, learn about their lives from your parents or their friends. Find journals or letters they've left behind.

5. Adopt a grandparent

. I remember sitting in a nursing home with my great-grandmother. Her friend, a small woman of 89 years, was telling me about her son. You could see in her eyes the love she had for him, I asked when he was coming to visit her next. Her reply startled me, "He is very busy, I'm sure he'll come soon." Nursing homes, hospitals, hospices; there are so many places filled with the elderly who are in need of a conversation. Take your family and volunteer for a day and watch the compassion develop in your children.

More than anything this Grandparents Day, remember who we are celebrating. They are more than family, they are more than your history, they have great wisdom, feeling, and compassion developed over a lifetime. Show them how much you appreciate their love and sacrifice for your family. Listen to their stories, show them you love them. After all, you will be in their shoes one day.