Snowflakes from Heaven
The most important things to obtain from life are the memories you make with the people you love. Memories are the fabric of our lives; without memory each passing day would be meaningless. Everything we saw, everyone we met, and everything we did would have no influence on the people we would become. It is through our memories that each of us becomes unique. Many things we see each and everyday invoke certain memories, both good and bad, from our past. Therefore there are certain items that we take comfort in and others that we shy away from. Both types are important because they allow us to learn from the past and further our lives. One such item for me is a snow globe that my grandfather bought me as a souvenir from our last ski trip together before he passed away.
I never realized that such a small item could have so much meaning behind it. This polished glass ball that sits on a smooth wooden base signifies ten wonderful years of laughter, knowledge, and love shared between my grandpa and me. As I gently shake the snow globe, I watch my grandfather’s spirit sprinkle onto the snow capped mountains in the form of small white flakes. If you were acquainted with my grandfather, you could not help but adore his unique personality and ardent sense of humor. He always put others’ needs before his own and carried a positive attitude along with him wherever he would go.
Aside from his presence, my grandfather had a mind filled with exceptional knowledge. It was not until a few years after he had passed away that I realized the extent of his success. He received his doctoral degree from Michigan State, was a respected professor at University of Illinois, and tenured at Northern Illinois University. As a granddaughter, I could not be more proud of his plethora of accomplishments, including the writing of his eminent book, The Psychology of Communication. My grandfather had a passion for all that he endured in, and for that we are one in the same. Thus, I am inspired to become an influential woman in our society as I continue to work relentlessly to achieve my own success.
When I sit in my bedroom, I carefully observe the small snow globe standing proud on my dresser shelf. By no means does this globe simply signify a ski trip to the mountains. Although I can still taste the hot chocolate and feel the heat of the heartfelt fire, my most cherished experience was having my grandfather sit down next to me, look me square in the eyes, and tell me that I could do anything I set my mind to. I was a little girl, naive and optimistic; I absorbed every bit of wisdom he had to offer.