Happy National Gorgeous Grandma Day! What’s a pearl of wisdom you learned from a grandma figure in your life?

Margot Kelly-Hedrick, Med Student, Duke University

Practice gratitude and eat pie.

Dr. Laura Hanyok, Johns Hopkins Medicine

My Grandma Hanyok taught me that you don’t have to do what society expects of you. Although she had what one would consider a “traditional” life as a housewife and mother, she also rebelled a bit. When she turned 80, she told everyone that she was never cooking again. My grandfather cooked and we had family gatherings at other loved ones homes.

Dr. Mariah Robertson, Johns Hopkins Medicine

My Nana Fan taught me that women can do anything. ANYTHING. She had many barriers but she wasn’t afraid of stepping out of gender norms at a time when that was frowned upon. She was magnificent.

Dr. Mike Fingerhood, Johns Hopkins Medicine

My grandmother came to the U.S. from Russia alone at the age of fifteen. She said the only person you should rely on is yourself.

Dr. Jeff Millstein, Penn Medicine

My Grandma Rose taught me that there’s no bad mood that a homemade treat can’t fix.

Dr. Meg Gerber

Grandma Shirley always said, “Blood is thicker than water,” when talking about family.

Kim Williams, Admin Specialist, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Nan Nan, my maternal grandmother, taught me to be graceful, forgiving, and how to care for roses.

Mom Mom, my paternal grandmother, taught me perseverance. She raised six boys (one of whom was paralyzed from the neck down) on my grandfather’s income as a railroad engineer.

Gretchen Miller, CLOSLER Editor

I learned patience from my maternal grandma, Betty Lee Davidson, who modeled this in her day-to-day interactions with all people.

Dr. David Kopacz, University of Washington

My Grandma Kopacz taught me that you don’t have to buy cherry tomato seeds—you can just go to the salad bar, find the biggest cherry tomato, take it home, put it on a paper towel on the windowsill and let the sun gradually dry it out, then clean off the seeds and plant them in the ground. (She lived through the Great Depression.) To me, this seemed like practical, out-of-the-box thinking and reinforced the cycle of life.

Dr. Elizabeth Gundersen, Florida Atlantic University