I was walking my dog Truman yesterday at Fort Ben State Park. It happened to coincide with my grandfather's six year death anniversary. I started to feel sad. Memories were flowing. It was bitter sweet. I decided in that moment, inspired by my sister Tara's 100 things she loves about life post(
http://www.facebook.com/tara.williams.560), to start a list of
100 memories I love about my grandfather. Below is my journal entry and a list of 100 things.
9/15/2012
I can't believe it has been six years since grandpa died. I miss him. I miss his kindness. I miss the connection we had (although I believe we will always have-I feel his presence in so many moments of my life). I have many great memories of him. We always had so much fun together. I remember him squeezing my hand before he died... (my mom's voice echoes in my memory "dad -Heather is here-squeeze her hand if you feel her."). I guess he felt me. I won't forget that last moment.. the strength in heart... eternity..beyond body.. I thought to myself he had the best heart I had ever met....so here is my stream of consciousness of my memories.
1. IUPUI hospital room. He recited a poem to his oncologist.
It Couldn't Be Done
Edgar Guest
Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.
2. Coming to many of my cross country meets. Taking our entire team out for hot chocolate.
3. Taking me painting with him.
4. Always including me in his work-I helped him do his little lawn care business. Walking down the alley.
5. The many Sanibel Island trips
6.Birthday parties-special plate
7. Participation Sister's dinner-Pizza King (I hope you remember this Tara)
8. Not strangling Tara and I for doing cartwheels down the fairway at Glen Miller Park Golf Course
9. Zest for life
10. Always believing in me
11. Letting us pick out our favorite cereal from the grocery store
12. Christmas Eve Service
13. Accepting death with humor-I remember saying when visiting when he was very sick.." I will see you later grandpa" and he said "better sooner than later" and then winked at me.
14. Never being angry
15.Swiss steak
16. Persimmon pudding
17. Strawberry rhubarb pie
18. Compassion
19. Always finding the best in people
20. Never talking ill of anyone
21. Jeopardy and wheel of fortune
22. Playing Dominoes
23. Celebration, FL-lost tooth..still had a smile
24. "Don't tell your grandma I am this high up on the ladder"
25. Encouraging me to go to engineering school
26. Love of Purdue
27. Casablanca-the movie
28. Legally Blonde-I loved how he laughed so hard at this movie-completely unexpected
29. Paint car
30. Trips to the reservoir just to watch the birds
31. His amazing detailed memory
32. His amazing family tree/"second cousin once removed" lingo/memory?!
33.Financial orderliness
34. Never asked ...why me?
35. Good attitude
36. WWII stories
37. Deer hunting story at the dinner table..(Mandy I hope you remember this)..grandma saying "Brooks you couldn't even hurt a flee".
38. Mints/Wintergreen-do they spark in the dark
39. Red light to green. Poof.
40. Kind and appreciative to everyone
41. Miracle Whip
42. Eastlands
43. Handing out Christmas gifts
44. Burning wrapping paper...violin on mantle
45. Casablanca lilies
46. Vegetable garden in the alley behind Jimmy's house
47. Homemade applesauce
48. Late night Doppler Radar
49. Farm at Salem
50. "oh Canada" the farm woman
51. Raspberry Sunday from the Mucky Duck
52. Milkshakes from Alesops
53. Getting to work in Richmond on a remediation project and staying with my grandparents.It was winter-I had many layers on- I had to wear Carhartts- I remember running into their house after work-having to go to the bathroom-well I couldn't get all of the layers off and I peed before getting all of my layers off...I remember telling my grandparents..they found humor in it.."just wait until you get old-we do it all of the time"
54. Little Shebas
55. One of the last days that he was still aware-he said if he were to do it all over again he would want to be a meteorologist.
56.Old dog scamp
57. Always so interested in what Aunt Caroline and Uncle Steve were doing..I could always tell he was proud
58. Sulky racing
59. Pudding pops
60. Driving us with grandma to get our nails done
61. Driving us with grandma to Knollenburgs
62. Children's museum
63. Old spice
64. Sitting with grandpa in his chair
65. Always waiting patiently while the girls got their hair cut by Marty
66. Playing Stars
67. Fort Morgan
68. Charlotte, NC Gymnastics meet
69. Grape Vine Wreaths
70. Going to visit Milly's cabin on the stream in OH
71. How in the hell did he have all of the units/conversions memorized
72. Powerball
73. Bird watching from our deck at Cedar Cliff house
74. Napping/Snoring in his chair
75. Birth right Quaker
76. Loved sitting in the front seat and being his navigator
77. Driving to get spring water from Glen Miller Park
78. POW licence plate-connecting with other POW's on trips to FL
79. Writing the "Capture" story about his WWII POW experience for me when I was in seventh grade (I still have it)
80. Being the principle at my middle school-Dennis
81. Always encouraging me to do good in school and caring about my interests
82. Snap dragons
83. Sweet peas
84. Old sprinkler
85. Hula hoops/three ring circus
86. Driving to Dr. Fox's estate and taking care of it
87. Building the bookshelf around our TV in the basement of the Cedar Cliff house
88. Going through the Miller's drive through for Milk
89. After eights
90. Staining the wood beams with him at the new Quaker Church
91. Bowling-Special Bowling Ball
92. Taking Tara and I to Saturday morning gymnastics and Ms. Bradshaw art lessons
93. Life in Salem graveyard-showing us where he was going to be buried
94. 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration
95. Clipping the roses
96. Old leather shoes
97. Hooded Purdue Sweatshirt
98. Not having to say anything but understanding everything
99. The way he took pictures..always made me laugh..he never really gave a crap..
100. "Heather there will be good days and bad days..you just have to keep living"
These are just a few of my memories.
