Today is one of those days...
Remembering the day you went on to the great beyond is never easy
Puts me in a melancholy mood, but not for too long.
'Cause you see, you filled my world, my life with many cherished, happy memories.
You were pa, my, our grandpa...
The one whose stern words were never harsh,
They were spoken out of love and experience to help mold us for the unknown...
An exemplar, yes - you were such.
You were a listening ear, a voice filled with much wisdom - and understanding. You were our sanctuary...
You were a storyteller, our griot
It was your way of remembering a time gone, a time forgotten, a time lost...
Yet, it was also your way of showing us the way -
In guiding us for this day when you would no longer be with us - physically...
When I saw those flowers bloom, "irises" I'm told, I knew that it was you - reminding us that you are very near, looking on from a distance, still checking in, tending to your plants and making sure I remember the how-to...
So while your company is missed and today conjures bittersweet flashes of you... I can smile in knowing that you are still around in every 'creek and cranny', in the keys of the piano and every note played; in every tree that blossoms and bears fruit, in the wind that blows our way, in the soil you toiled and every gardening tool you left behind for us... We can't find your old faithful 'straw hat' though - yes, we remember you in everything, everyday.
It's easy to talk fondly of you and there's no greater love, this is true...
For you've left a piece of you with each one of us and you've stayed with us... Grandmum misses you - her reminiscences reflect this and your love for her was undeniable... A man, imperfectly perfect, you were one of a kind...
Husband, friend, pa and grandpa... Love you always!
