As Jana mentioned the other day, I recently decided to pick up an old hobby that I haven't had anything to do with for years. To be completely honest, prior to this week, I cannot even begin to remember when I last tore open a $12 box of potential. However, this week as I once again began spending an hour or two every evening carefully assembling each piece within this kit, I was overcome with many wonderful memories of similar times in years past spent with my grandpa.
Huddled around the kitchen table with grandma busy in the background, I can vividly remember my eight yeard old eyes watching his skill and his patience on full display. As we worked together to create and capture a moment of WW2 history. I didn't realize it at the time, but there under the dinning room lights so many years ago, my grandpa wasn't simply building a model airplane, he was building me.
It's hard to believe that the memories that I have of riding my 10-speed down main street to their house in great anticipation are now almost 20 years old. It's harder to believe that we said goodbye to grandpa almost 3 years ago. I wish despretly that he could now see the results of his investment in my life. Sure, I would like to show him this model so that we could laugh again about times spent and memories shared. But more than that, I would like to share with him the details of my life: the joy that only Hannah knows how to delivery, the anticipation of Charlie's upcoming debut in August, the frustrations of my job, and the thrills of flying cross country. He was a friend to the man, and a hero to the boy. He was my grandpa, and he is deeply missed.
I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoyed putting this airplane together!
5 comments:
Very Awesome!!
DAD
Patrick, this is such a great post! I didn't know you had writer blood :) I'm really impressed. Writing tributes to the people we love is (in my opinion) the hardest kind of writing, but this was excellent. As a friend, I thought it was very moving. As an editor, I wondered if you'd ever considered writing (either for a side job or for fun).
PS - Does this mean you found the camera, Jana?
Hey guys, Des sent me your link and I just read this. That is so touching!! I'm soo glad you were lucky to have those memories to share. Your dad is right...very awesome! Prayers~ Jody
i think it is so cool that you did this...thanks so much for sharing about your memories...i too have really missed him lately thinking about our trip to KS later this month and really wishing that Jes would've gotten to know him. love you!
Love the post! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
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