Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Remembering My Hero


It's amazing how a few mementos can make me feel close again to my Grandpa.

One of my closest and most cherished confidants is my Aunt Marcia. She's one of those people who, even though we don't always get to talk frequently, is a constant influence on my life.

The other day we were talking about my Grandpa, her dad, who we lost in the early 2000s. Grandpa is the only close family member I've ever lost, and I still, to this day, have a hard time dealing with his absence.

I mentioned to Marcia that I wish I had more mementos to remember him by and - more importantly - to remind the twins that he was an amazing man who they would have really, really liked being around. (Coincidentally, the twins were born on his birthday, and I can't help but wonder if he had something to do with it from Heaven. We honor him every year on their shared birthday.)


Marcia asked if she'd like me to send some of her treasures that she picked from Grandpa's office after he passed. I told her to hang on to them but to will them to me (This might sound morbid, but if you know our relationship, you know that's just normal conversation for us!).

A few days later, I got a package in the mail with one of Grandpa's flannel shirts, one of his magnifying glasses, a film canister and his cell phone. I was blown away that Marcia would part with these cherished items and entrust me and my rowdy kids with them. But she knows they're important to us. And she knows they mean the world to us.

The kids like to hear me talk about the items. I remember him using his magnifying glass at his desk in his office, as he studied his piles and piles of papers. He was constantly studying something. As a chemical engineer, I guess he was hardwired to always think of new and better ways for something to be done.

Marcia said the phone is a special item because he held it. He breathed into it. It was close to his face. It connected him to his loved ones. I can hear him now - he had the world's longest conversation-wrap-ups, and we all loved them. "Bye now. Love you. OK, bye bye now. Take care. Love you. Talk to you soon. Love you." He left NO doubt that we were loved!!

The film canister - he had a LOT of them, because he kept everything. He used them in his garage for his woodworking supplies; in his office for paperclips and such; I think he even had them in his dresser drawers to store cuff links and such.

The twins love the shirt. They want to wear it like a bathrobe. Part of me wants to tell them no - don't get it dirty. Don't spill anything on it. Don't force me to wash it. But, Grandpa spoiled his grandkids and wanted us to have fun. He would have told me to do with it as I please, with his handsome, one-dimpled grin that reflected his pride in his family.

So, the kids are enjoying the shirt, and I'm loving how that makes me feel. I'm loving how they look like him. I'm loving how they have his one-dimpled grin.

Someday I'm going to need that magnifying glass, just as he did, and it's going to make me think of him and feel closer to him. And it's also going to make me think of Marcia, who gave it to him and who passed these special things on to me.



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