I was in the studio the other night working on a new picture.
In a sense, the picture is about family, love, home, and all the things that help us become the best version of our self. I was in the mood for a certain type of music, and chose the What a Crying Shame album by the Mavericks. They always make me think of my grandpa.
My friend Laura and I saw them at Summerfest, years ago. I knew my grandpa would love their music, so I bought a CD and gave it to him. Days later, he called and left a message on my answering machine (something he never liked to do) to tell me he loved the CD. He even listed the songs he enjoyed most.
I used to play that tape of his message again and again. His birthday was this week, and even tho he has long passed away, I miss him so much. I’ve been thinking of him a lot lately.
If I could sum up my grandparents personality, it would be with this picture. Warm, kind, fun, and loving. They loved each of us, every one of us, and I am grateful for that.
It was one of the biggest blessings of my life to hold my grandpa as he passed from this life to the next. I got to tell him how grateful I was for him, how good he was as a grandfather and father figure. The day before he died, we had a conversation about his life, and I went home and wrote this poem. It is included in my newest book, Poiema.
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE
My grandpa used to say
that he was once a young man
and he blinked
and found he had been
married 20 years.
He blinked again,
and was a grandfather.
Before he knew it
an entire family had grown
in different parts of the country
while he became an old man.
When he looked back at his life
which had gone by too fast
he found nothing he could regret.
My grandpa would be 110 today. He was a good man, and I miss him every day. Here’s to the grandparents, who care for us in wonderful ways.
For more inspiring words about being God’s poem, check out my book, Poiema, New and Selected Poems