Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart

-Confucius

This weekend I went home to Colorado to lay my grandfather to rest.  While extremely emotional, the ceremony was beautiful and a wonderful tribute to a wonderful man.

While at the church, I saw the bench in the garden that my grandpa had the church place in tribute to my grandma:

And I was able to reflect upon some of the wonderful moments that I was able to share with my grandpa in my short time with him:

Baking bread

The last time that I saw my grandpa I spoke with him about all of the “signs” that my grandma has given me that she’s still around.  He agreed that they sounded like her and we shared a fun moment dancing at the end of my brother’s wedding.  I can’t think of a better memory to leave with.

He passed away while I was in Puerto Rico for the holidays, and I came home from that trip to a box of Harry and David pears, exact in fashion to the ones my grandpa was notorious for mailing to family at Christmas.  Only these were delivered to my house on “accident”.  Meaning, the real address was nearly 20 minutes away from my house.

After speaking to my grandpa about all of the subtle signs that I’ve noticed, I don’t believe that this was an accident.  I look forward to what he has in store for my future.

My uncle spoke at the funeral service about how my grandpa thought that my grandma’s passing was her gift to him to be able to know his family better.  I think there’s a lot of truth to that.

After the service, the family went over to his house for the evening and as we crammed too many people around a small kitchen table I couldn’t help but think that the person who would love this the most was the one who is no longer here.  Then it occurred to me that if he thought my grandma’s gift to him was family, then this was clearly his gift to all of us.

You started a good thing, Papa.  We are a family who laughs, a family who supports, and a family who will carry on what you created.  May you rest in peace, Papa, right where you belong.