With the same eyes, through different times, I always looked up to you...
As an infant I was fascinated and full of curiosity about you...
As a child I was hypnotized by your presence and captivated by you...
As a young man full of ignorance I sought comfort and enlightenment from you...
As a man full of respect, I was simply in awe of you...
Last week I looked down at you, knowing that it would be the last time that I would see your face.
In that moment of silence I established a communion between us...
Between this world that you had shed yourself of, and the world that, for now, I can only shut my eyes and contemplate...
You taught me that death is a necessary part of the cycle of life...
You taught me to understand it as a transition of the soul from the “here” to the “there”...
To never spend time worrying about death and to never waste time living in fear of it.
Some of the greatest memories that I will forever hold on to are from the time spent at Shae Court.
Because of you, our youth was super soaked with joyous memories of epic water gun battles...
Our imaginations had no limits as we drove our power wheels around the borders of the cul de sac...
We rode our bicycles as if they were thoroughbred stallions all over the neighborhood...
Climbing the ladder into our tree house for a mini retreat...
We swung so high on our swing set convinced we could touch the sky...
We were probably the only kids on the block who played croquet...
You taught us to never be afraid, yet tales of the creatures in the dark wooden shed kept us away...
The more I reflect on our youth, the more I am amazed by your effort to make all that happen for us.
Grandad, my Sundays have never been the same.
As a young adult you taught me to take responsibility for my actions no matter the consequence.
As a man you taught me to always stay humble in the service of others...
To never apologize for what one must do in order to protect one’s family...
You were a man who saw the world as his oyster and loved his family to the moon and back!
A man who meant different things to many people, but to me, to us your grandchildren, you will always be our Grandad, a provider and our protector.
To the only Grandfather that I ever knew, I thank you for sharing your Light with us and I look forward to the moment that our souls meet again.
Well done Grandad... well done my friend.
Forever Grateful,
Justin