His tragedy, My blessing.

Growing up I only met my Grandfather twice before the tragedy in his life brought him to live in Texas. Sometime tragedy brings forth a "new birth" in our lives. Unfortunately it was a great cost for my Grandfather to end up moving to Texas. He was involved in a house fire which ended up with the loss of his beloved wife. It was so sad, and he was so heart broken. He had found her late in life after my Grandmother had died many years earlier. I remember flying up with my mother to pick up my Grandfather and bring him home to live with us. It was all so sad. But through it all he was confident that he would see his beloved in heaven one day. My Grandfather's roots were deeply planted in his spiritual life with Christ. I remember the many times he was always found reading his Bible and praying. The Lord blessed us with bringing him to Texas. I grew so close to him in so many ways. Fishing, playing cards, listening to him play his many musical instruments and of course all the wonderful stories he had to tell of his past. Out of tragedy, I was blessed by getting to know the man called my Grandfather. And oh how he loved my child, his great Grandchild. He always wanted to live to see her reach 16, but he never made it. He died when she was only 4 years old. We were lucky to have taped video of him telling his stories and playing his musical instruments and of course all the pictures of him beaming with love around her. These are her memories to cherish, and mine. I remember the day the day he died. I had been in court for my divorce and had originally taken the day off from work. I had called into work to see how things were going when I was informed of my Grandfather being taken to the hospital. I immediately went to him. I found my brother and mother sitting in his room. Knowing that he was a devoted Christian I told my mother to tell him it was OK, we were all there and if he wanted to go on, it was OK. We would be OK. We surrounded him and even though there was no acknowledgement from him, I believe he heard us. He never spoke. His eyes remained shut. My mother and brother took a break from the room and it was just me sitting there, holding his hand. I remember the nurse coming in and out and it was moments later my Grandfather passed away. I called for the nurse and for someone to find my mother and brother and I sat there just holding my Grandfather's hand as it grew cold. That was my first experience to be around death so closely. It was all so peaceful. Even if that time I was not back in my Christian walk, I knew my Grandfather just had to be over there greeting his beloved wife again. I miss him, I miss everything about him, good and bad. But I am so very lucky to have gotten to know him and what a wonderful man he was. But one day, I hold on to the fact that we will be together again. And if there is any Fishing in Heaven, hopefully we will be fishing together again. Take each day to try to hold onto memories of those past, and do not waste time in the sorrow of the day they died, but in pleasant memories of how they lived all the other days. (I cannot take credit for that line, Dr. Phil quoted it the other day.) Love you ladies, (( hugs ))