Grandparents

I received some very sad news today. My maternal grandfather passed away this morning. He would have been 92-years-old in June. What a long life to witness an overwhelming number of changes in the world.

He lived his entire life in the same couple square miles of Minnesota. His grandfather, father and he all farmed the same land and raised dairy cows and other livestock. He farmed the fields with large teams of horses and later with massive columbines. He knew every square inch of that land. He was a good and kind caretaker to all his animals (a "softy," I would say).

The farm was my favorite place to go as a child. Some of my fondest memories were summers spent running around that farm, playing in the barn, feeding the calves, wandering the pastures, and leading the cows home from the pasture to the barn for milking. It was just about the closest thing to heaven to a little kid who spent most of the time in the city.

Nights my grandma and grandpa would pop popcorn and we would play Uno. I still think of having zero points in Uno as "a goose egg" as my grandma would say. I clearly remember laughing all night during those games. My grandpa had a great laugh and an easy sense of humor. I will miss him.

I must remind myself that I have been very fortunate. I had all my grandparents well into my 30s, not many people get to have such amazing people in their lives for that long; I lost my paternal grandfather almost 3 years ago.

I very deliberately use the word "lost" because it does feel like losing something that is irreplaceable. There is no other relationship like the one between a grandparent and grandchild--all love and nothing else.

It is a pleasure to watch my kids have this special relationship with their grandparents. They are incredibly lucky to have the grandparents that they do. All love and spoiling and no criticisms or expectations.

So, thank you Grandpa, rest well now.