Monday, November 1, 2010

More to Life than Diabetes

This beautiful old gentleman is my grandfather.  The three of us in this picture shared our birthday until my grandfather passed away this summer.  He is the first significant family member I've lost and I still get pretty emotional about it.  This weekend was his burial.  I realize that today is the first day of National Diabetes Month, but while this isn't diabetes related, it did send my diabetes on a roller coaster.  More on that tomorrow. For now, I'm going to share with you what I couldn't share at  his memorial service.  

"A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart."

From the very beginning of my life, I fought to be just like Grampa.  I was born September 12, 1985, just sixty-three years after my grandfather.  That is the easiest way to say we are similar, but the ways which I hope I am like him are far more important than a day on the calendar.

I love to find something to smile or laugh at every day.  When I wasn't sure if I'd ever have a full conversation with Grampa again, or even hear a full sentence, I was nervous as to what to expect.  My mother and I went to visit, and we were getting ready to go somewhere and Mom, Grammy and I were standing around the counter in Beverly.  Grampa walked over and stood next to Grammy, looked at her, smirked then said "I'm still taller than you" and started laughing with his shoulders.  That laugh is something I looked forward to seeing every time we visited. 

I hope that I can fight for the things that are important to me like he did, even when it may seem easier not to.  I fight to be patient and giving.  I wish to be content and find happiness in the simple things in life.  

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