I'm Part of You Now

Here’s the next vid from Grandpa’s storytelling. Most of us in the family have heard a variation of this story in one form or another, but it’s surprising that his stories never get old for me. He tells of another time that he was transferred away from a gunner position the day before that gun post was destroyed.

I cringe inside when he mentions the guys around him that didn’t make it home. I don’t like to watch him see the memories in his head. I can tell he’s trained himself to not dwell on them too much and to move on and think of something else. He also does it, I’m confident, so that he doesn’t have to pass on those memories to his family. I’m grateful for his discretion, despite my natural curiousity.

I was fortunate to visit my grandpa in Oregon this last Christmas. He’s 88 and still as rad as ever. It had been too long since I’d seen him so I made it top priority. We asked him to tell some stories from his life while we all listened. It’s a real gem for those of us in the family. And, as usual, he gets in a couple of jokes.

My favorite part from the time I could spend with him during my visit was sitting in his house, watching him watch TV by the warmth of his wood stove. Like most of his age and era, he’s seen a lot of brutality and pain in his life, suffered poverty and misery, yet he managed to come out of it all with a loving soul and a temperament that’s quick to smile and slow to anger. His children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all admire him for his steady hand through the years. He misses Grandma, yet I’m so thankful he’s still around for me. He is a major part of my inspiration to build and make things, and to give freely to other people of my time and talents.