Grandpa

14 years ago today the world lost a great man and I lost the one person in my life who had never hurt or disappointed me. Although the pain of his passing has eased it is still one of my greatest sorrows. That my husband and children will never know the man I called papa and who showed me more than anyone ever has, how to be a kind, caring and giving person. Although God knows he wasn't perfect, he was pretty amazing. Nick has always said that I would not only give someone the shirt off of my back but that I'd give it to them even if it meant freezing to death myself. And it's true. One of the things I define myself by is my need to help others. In anyway I can. And I credit my grandpa for that. The man worked and worked and gave and gave and was never more than a step ahead. But he was happy. He was content. He had family that loved him and his family was well fed and no one he ever met would lack for a roof over their head. I've lost count of how many people called my grandpa's house home for at least a little while. If he saw a need, he did his best to fill it.
I will never get over his loss. I know this and I am happy for it. When you lose someone who was the greatest contribution to the person you are, you shouldn't get over it. But you do grow from it. You learn from it. You heal. Just in a different way than you expected. And you decide to live your life in a way to honor your loved one. And I hope that I've done that. I hope he'd be proud of me. Cause I am so very proud of him!