I wanted to write down something I wish I had gotten up and said at my grandfather's memorial today. I had kind of planned on it, but everyone had such beautiful, eloquent things to share, and I only had a few sentences. Excuses, excuses.
My grandfather, in the last few weeks of his life, had a great deal of difficulty traveling: It was exhausting and uncomfortable for him. Regardless, when I got home from the hospital, he made the trip out to see me. It was within the first couple of days, which are pretty fuzzy for me, but I clearly recall sitting in the dining room. Daddy Jim was in the TV room, and wanted to see me. With the help of my dad and my uncle, he got up and walked over to the dining room. His walk was more of a hobble, and my walk was definitely a hobble - and when I saw him hobbling over to see me, I got up and hobbled over to meet him in the middle. He gave me a big hug, and told me that he was glad I was doing well. He just always made me feel so loved. Even sitting with him in his last days, while he was unable to speak and move (last stage of Parkinson's), I would tell him what I had been up to and how I was doing, and he would squeeze my hand to let me know that he could hear. I love and respect him so much, and even more having heard so many stories yesterday from before I was born. He was truly an incredible man. I really, really mean it.
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