Just Like My Mom And Grandpa Did For Me
--By Katie
Last year Andy I went hiking in the Shenandoah Valley. I had so much fun telling Andy the different types of flowers that we were seeing and the names of the birds that flew by us. Andy asked me what kind of flowers we were seeing and I was shocked that he didn't know what a forsythia was called. I've since realized that my love for and knowledge of the nature around me really stems from Grandpa.
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Grandpa and Katie -- who is
wearing a carnival mask.
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I remember going over to Grandma and Grandpa's house when I was a little kid and I would look through his guidebooks on plants, trees, and animals. He would spend such a long time answering my questions about the different pages in the books and I absolutely loved it. We would go on walks and he would pick up leaves that were on the ground and tell me if they were a sycamore leaf or a maple leaf. He taught me that the bark of a birch tree was thin and soft and peeled easily off the trees. I loved when he would tell me the name of the birds and I was always so impressed when he could do a bird call that sounded just like bird in front of me.
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| Grandma and Grandpa |
Grandpa had so much love for the people and things around him and I know that has impacted all of his family members. His love of nature, knowledge, and his appreciation for the little things helped me to feel the same way throughout my life and I am so thankful I had those experiences. I will pass down the excitement for books and nature and whistling like a bird to my children just like my mom and Grandpa did for me. His joy in so many things reminds me to appreciate the world around me. I remember when I was at a St. Patrick's day party when I was a teenager I sat next to Grandpa as he hummed the songs everyone was singing. He rocked back and forth to the music with a smile and that little moment has stayed in my head. It was such a simple moment but seeing the happiness radiate from him reminds me to find the happiness in the small things.
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| Suzy, Katie & Kyle |
I found a poem that really makes me think of him. It is called Barter by Sara Teasdale and it reminds me of being a kid and being so excited to talk to Grandpa about all the things he loved. Grandpa was someone who really taught me to appreciate poems. We would read Robert Louis Stevenson poems and then when I was a little older we would read more challenging poems and we would talk about what they meant. I'm so glad he was in my life to share so much of his appreciation for the world.
“Life has loveliness to sell,
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children's faces looking up,
Holding wonder like a cup.
Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like the curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit's still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.
Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstasy
Give all you have been, or could be.”
All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children's faces looking up,
Holding wonder like a cup.
Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like the curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit's still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.
Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstasy
Give all you have been, or could be.”
I will miss my grandpa very much.
