A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to say goodbye in person to my grandpa, one of the few heroes in my life. As I was leaving I told him that I’d be home for Christmas in a few weeks and was planning on bringing the family to see him. He didn’t say anything. I started to tear up. He grabbed my arm and told me that it was going to be okay.
I spent a lot of time that weekend in his house looking at pictures of him in the army and growing up. I realized that Grandpa was like a book. A wealth of knowledge and wisdom stored throughout his pages. You just had to open his book, turn his pages and sit in a comfortable spot and read him and he would tell you a tale. A story. A legend.
Grandpa was a man raised on the farm outside of town, served four years in the army during WWII. In which he fought under Patton in North Africa, Italy and liberated concentration camps in defeated Nazi Germany. He came home with the $50 the army gave him and married Rhea, had four children who in turn had 9 grandchildren who in turn will soon to have 18 great grandchildren. He earned his living as a carpenter at Besser and enjoyed his work.
But that’s “who” he was and not “what” he was. He was an amazing man. A man that was so patient, kind, understanding and loving. A man that always had great things to say no matter what. A smile on his face. A gentle touch holding his hand. Just sitting quietly and enjoying his company. A man that took so much pride in his garden season after season. A baker that made amazing things with his hands.
He was a man that when I asked him two weeks ago if he would have changed anything in his life, he paused and said he wouldn’t have done anything different and that he had lived a great life.
When you stop to think about it, Grandpa lived the dream life. So many accomplishments. A legacy of an amazing family. He was able to do what so few people do in their lives – live the full circle of life. To pass away without tremendous pain, surrounded by his love ones in the house that he built with his own hands. A simple but amazing life. We all could only hope for so much.
I’m sad today because the world will not be the same without my grandpa. It will be a markedly lesser place. Looking around today and last night, I see so many smiles and know that we are celebrating his wonderful life.
Grandpa – you are our hero and always will be.
1 comment:
You are right, he truly was a hero to all of us that knew him. He never had a bad word to say about anyone. He will be missed by all of us that knew him. Even though time will help lessen the grief, he will be remember for all time by those of us who were close to him.
Post a Comment