If there has been a day since then that I haven't thought about him or missed him, I don't know which day that would have been. As a child, he was larger than life to me. He was the patriarch of our family in every sense of the word and when he died, the loss we felt was palpable. Through his righteous example, he continues to inspire me to be a better person. He was a great leader and people naturally followed him. One of his favorite sayings was, "do what you want, but you know what's right." How many bad decisions the memory of this advice has prevented in my life!
When I think of my childhood, I'm continually amazed at how lucky I was. One of the greatest blessings of my childhood was the privilege of living just a block away from him. I saw him nearly every day. He shared his black nibs with me while we rode together in the tractor. He gave me a nickel to comb his hair while we watched John Wayne westerns together. He taught me to ice skate, jump rope, play basketball, and to work. Oh how he taught me to work!
I saw a man who had hands like his the other day and it brought tears to my eyes. If I listened to a thousand different voices, I would know his instantly. I can't shoot a lay-up without hearing the words "we never miss our lay-ups." (Sorry Grandpa, but sometimes I do). I can't see a sunrise without thinking of him lamenting the poor people sleeping in their beds and missing such a beautiful sight.
He's with me every day and I'm eternally thankful for the relationship I had with him and the lessons he taught me. I tell Cole stories about him all the time. Cole knows that Grandpa Max loved basketball. He knows that Grandpa Max was a prankster. He knows that Grandpa Max did not like rice but loved potatoes. He knows that Grandpa Max had a dog named Reno and a little brother named Larry. And someday I'll tell him about what a great missionary he was and how Heavenly Father took him while serving one mission and sent him on a different one and how that broke our hearts.
I was almost fifteen when he died. When I turned twenty-nine, I realized that sometime during this year I would reach the somewhat sad milestone of having lived half of my life with him in Heaven. Being a nerd at heart, I did the math to figure out when that day would be. Today is that day - his 81st birthday. Ironic, definitely, but also one of Heavenly Father's tender mercies. So, we're having meat and potatoes for dinner tonight and a birthday cake for dessert. I just wish he was here to eat it with us. Happy Birthday Grandpa, I love you.
9 comments:
What a great post Katie! There was no one quite like your grandpa! It was such a shock and a loss when he passed away! Whenever I hear an owl I am taken back to him walking through the lot and making the sound and then looking over his shoulder to see where it was. I will do this the rest of my life. I too was so lucky to live next door to him and your grandma! What great people! I love them too!
This is the 2nd time in a week my one of my sister's blog has made me cry at work. I have been thiking about granpa all day and then I read your blog. Like, Katie, my grandpa's example and words "do what you want but you know what's right" has stopped me from making bad decisions in my life. I love you, Grandpa Max, Happy Birthday!
Katie,
Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for your post. I miss Grandpa Max everyday, and look forward with great anticipation to the time I will see him again.
Like Emily said, every time I hear an owl I can't not think of our "Hooty Owl." I have a picture of grandpa in bed with curlers in his hair. Those are good memories.
Of course I don't know your Grandpa, but that was such a sweet tribute. It makes me think of my own grandparents and the few things I remember about them. Thanks for sharing, your grandpa sounds like a great man.
I miss him so much! I've been thinking about Grandpa all day because of his birthday. I really do consider growing up so close to grandpa and grandma one of my greatest blessings. Grandpa Max was such an incredible man, only those of us that were privileged enough to know him can ever understand.
I read your post earlier this morning and haven't stopped thinking about Grandpa since. So many memories, his smell, his voice, I could go on and on...it makes me feel proud and blessed to be part of his family. He was such a great man and I'm so grateful we were given any amount of time with him.
That is a really sweet post. That is so strange to think of...I remember when he passed away, and to think that was half a lifetime ago (well, so far) is weird. Life goes pretty fast as we get older..it may sound morbid but it almost makes sense to think you will see him again before you know it!
What an amazing man. It's amazing how much respect you can have for someone at such a young age. I really looked up to your grandpa and was saddened at his passing. We knows he in a great place.
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