Love!

More often then not this blog is used to give the people we care about a chance to see what the family and mostly the kids are doing. Every once in a while though I use it to give people an insight into the way we are thinking and feeling. So today if you will permit me I'd like to share this with you.



This is a picture of my father, his brothers and their dad at my Aunt Susan's wedding. My grandfather sent this picture to a good friend in a Christmas card. The card was sent for the last Christmas that Grandpa was alive and Richard brought this picture to share with us last night. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't wish I had one more minute with Grandpa but the love that he blessed me with through out my life endures and comforts me with the knowledge that he is always with me. He loved me in a way that has only been matched by the love of my children. I knew that he was proud and that he would always see the best in me even when I might not have deserved that pride. He loved me when I was right and when I was wrong and no matter which one he never made me feel any different for it. I can honestly say that I don't ever remember him raising his voice to me or making me feel like he was angry or disappointed with me. There was never a time that I felt he was judging me and if he was he certainly never let me know it. I made mistakes in my life, as all of us do, and he knew about them but he never made me feel like I was less because of them. The best part was that I wasn't alone in that love. He gave it freely to those he cared about. He was kind, wise and strong in ways I didn't fully understand until he was gone. My father is a carbon copy of his dad in the way he loves his family and I know it is because of the teachings of Grandpa that he shares his love as he does. The holidays can make us crazy and we can waste our precious time with each other worrying about silly things that won't matter for long. Love is the only gift that will ever really change our lives. I have been blessed so many times over by it and each time I have grown and changed and I hope that one day I can be the kind of person my Grandpa was. He wanted us all to love each other and my wish is that more people will know a love like I have known and will share that love not just with those around them but in the world as well. If we share our love and touch each others lives with it then we give and get at the same time. My Grandpa knew this and he gave that gift to us every day. I hope that everyone reading this will be able to say they have a love like that as well. One that makes them feel like they are the most special person in the world because that is the kind of love my Grandpa gave and I hope that I can be that kind and loving in my life too. I named my daughter in honor of my Grandpa and still I don't feel like I could ever truly express how special he is to me. I miss him every minute but I am lucky that I was so very blessed to have him in my life and learn how to love from him as I have. May all of you be blessed this holiday season and show those you love how you feel not just during the holidays but always. If you are able to access this blog then you are special to us and we hope that you know that you are loved.

Finally for my Grandfather - Thank you for all you have taught me and for the simple love you blessed me with every day.

"I want a simple love like that
Always giving never asking back
When I'm in my final hour looking back
I hope I had a simple love like that"