My Grandfather

My Grandfather

I believe in my Grandfather. He is my teacher, my mentor, my example of what a man is, he is my father. I was raised by my grandparents. When I was 3 years old the court decided that my parents were unfit parents and that it was in my and my older brother’s best interest to be taken away from my bio-logical parents. I will always remain forever grateful of that decision.

I do not wish to go into detail of all that took place in my three long years with them. Which remarkably I can recall many events even today. I’m sure you can imagine either by personal experience or of what you have heard, seen, or read about what it would take for a 3 year old and a 7 year old to be taken from their parents. I do not wish to focus on said events because I do not want to take away any light, what so ever, that I wish to shine on my Grandfather. Not that anything said makes him less because my Grandfather’s character can withstand any circumstance mentioned. I just do not want you, the reader, to be distracted by small matters when compared to who he is and what a great man he is to me.

I love him and respect him above any other man. I can rarely begin to talk about him to my wife before I shake uncontrollably and be able to speak through the tears that are streaming down my face even now as I type. Sometimes, it’s easier to write than it is whisper about someone you love and admire as much as I do him. He is a great man whom provides well not only for his children but even his children’s children and he does it with honor, joy, and with stead fast love. I have also, only shaken his hand twice and he has never told me he loves me with his words. But I have never doubted that he loves me and he has never been more proud of me and I enjoy over many things to continue to make him proud of me. His work ethic, loyalty, and commitment to his family is the standard that I will probably never meet but run to for the rest of my life.

I am also, not going to name the memories and stories I have of him because it is still much too hard to go through. For you see, he has been dead now for nearly 4 years. And I miss him. You know the saying that time heals. It doesn’t. If you are going through hard times and you are hoping that if you lean on the fact, that time heals, do not set yourself up for false-hope. Find something stronger for your healing process. It might be different for some but for me, that saying is not true because when he first left here, the next day it had only been one night since I saw his face. It had only been a few days since I heard his voice. Even in my dreams I do not hear his voice and only twice have I seen his face. Anymore than that, if it wasn’t for my wife, I don’t think I would want to ever wake up.

There is my story of my Grandfather, my father, who rescued me and loves me and made it possible for me to have the opportunities that I have now. Opportunities like writing this story so that others might get to hear of my Grandfather who is my real father and the great man that he is.