Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Death and the Aftermath - part 1
Well my grandfather died Thursday morning. He was pretty sick with all sorts of illnesses: bone cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, pneumonia, and some of his organs were starting to fail. From what my brother told me, he suffered a heart attack that morning and died around 1:00 that day. He has suffered from cancer for a couple of years. Constantly in and out of hospitals and doctor's offices, never really finding any sort of comfort or peace.
My grandfather was a hard-working man who stood for family and faith in god. He was a very quite and humble man, but when wrestling came on you couldn't settle him down. He battled a lot of demons in his younger days, but overcame them when he gave up alcohol to become a deacon at Sand Creek Baptist Church. He served the Lord and that old church for decades. Some of my earliest memories of my Papa are of him mowing the churchyard on his favorite vehicle, a bright red tractor. I can remember him picking me up for Sunday school and asking me if I've ate breakfast yet. Without forgetting he would always buy me a sausage and biscuit from this old gas station that was on the way to church. He would ask me and my grandmother to sing Jesus Loves Me all the way to the churchyard. I can remember him ringing the huge bell that stood alongside the church house. Him and this old cane he used in church. I also remember some of the epic arguments in Creek he and my grandma would have. Nothing major, just maybe some little detail he didn't hear and my grandma would constantly repeat herself until she gave. Sometime I think he did it just to aggravate her, but he never said. He loved to grow gardens in his backyard. I would sometimes help him, only when he asked. I had a very thorough respect for my Papa because he was a very tall and strong man, and even in his older days not many would tangle with him. He was quite the fighter in his younger days and I suppose his reputation would precede him.
I loved my Papa...I loved him very much and I think it will take some time for it to sink in that I won't see him anymore. I know he suffered a lot with his illnesses and all, and in some ways I'm glad for his passing because now he won't have to suffer anymore. Yes there's a lot of regrets on my part: wishing I would have spent more time with him, got to know him better, ask him so many questions, etc. But out of all this, he left me one great and true legacy...people can change for the better and thus be better people. Faith and Family is what he lived for and on, so maybe one day I can follow in my Papa's example and become a better person.
My grandfather was a hard-working man who stood for family and faith in god. He was a very quite and humble man, but when wrestling came on you couldn't settle him down. He battled a lot of demons in his younger days, but overcame them when he gave up alcohol to become a deacon at Sand Creek Baptist Church. He served the Lord and that old church for decades. Some of my earliest memories of my Papa are of him mowing the churchyard on his favorite vehicle, a bright red tractor. I can remember him picking me up for Sunday school and asking me if I've ate breakfast yet. Without forgetting he would always buy me a sausage and biscuit from this old gas station that was on the way to church. He would ask me and my grandmother to sing Jesus Loves Me all the way to the churchyard. I can remember him ringing the huge bell that stood alongside the church house. Him and this old cane he used in church. I also remember some of the epic arguments in Creek he and my grandma would have. Nothing major, just maybe some little detail he didn't hear and my grandma would constantly repeat herself until she gave. Sometime I think he did it just to aggravate her, but he never said. He loved to grow gardens in his backyard. I would sometimes help him, only when he asked. I had a very thorough respect for my Papa because he was a very tall and strong man, and even in his older days not many would tangle with him. He was quite the fighter in his younger days and I suppose his reputation would precede him.
I loved my Papa...I loved him very much and I think it will take some time for it to sink in that I won't see him anymore. I know he suffered a lot with his illnesses and all, and in some ways I'm glad for his passing because now he won't have to suffer anymore. Yes there's a lot of regrets on my part: wishing I would have spent more time with him, got to know him better, ask him so many questions, etc. But out of all this, he left me one great and true legacy...people can change for the better and thus be better people. Faith and Family is what he lived for and on, so maybe one day I can follow in my Papa's example and become a better person.
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