Gramps was the...
giver of Dots
host of Sunday dinner
first to chuckle
warmest embracer
master joke teller
wearer of the cardigans
tireless worker
restaurant picker
world traveler
trier of all things
user of all the Minnesotan slang
simplest in the best of ways
appreciator of life's small things
anticipator of meaningful moments
pusher of authenticity
wild ride through parking lots
one my Dad called every Sunday
the raiser of nine amazing children
requestor of the birthday dance
card player at Christmas
always smiling
jazz genre's biggest fan
story teller over family meals
listener of your tales
watcher of the birds
master of the BBQ
embracer of my mother
first my son trusted
one who opened his home
first to start shennanigans
one to lead with love
lifelong learner by light
one who understood why sparkle mattered
giver of the nicknames
capturer of things that mattered
heart of the family
Sometimes I sit quietly and tick through the list of all the things I wish I would've asked him and wonder what he would say. How deeply I could have learned and experienced him in life had we lived closer or spent more of our time in intimate conversation. But then I recall one of our very last talks as he sat on the deck, the sun striking our faces in a rare, one-on-one moment:
"Gramps - when your time comes, will you feel ready to go?"
"Oh yah, I do. I mean look at this and look at my kids. Everyone is doing well...happy...what more can you ask for? I've had a good life. A very good life."
And just like he said, what more can you ask for than that?
I love you Grandpa, and I've learned from you, the life you've created and the people you've loved. May heaven be as fabulous as the brightest sunrise in Mexico. Love, Meggers.
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