On Sunday my grandfather turned 100 and we had a beautiful celebration. I promise to post photos from the event once they are ready...I can hardly wait to see them!
Today I decided to share my speech completely unaltered. If it sounds like I'm talking, it's because I literally recorded myself talking to myself about my grandpa...then I typed out what I said - almost word for word. It truly helped me to speak from the heart and talk about the memories I'll have forever...
For my
grandpa on his 100th birthday…
My
grandfather was born on February 18th, 1918…fast forward about 64
years, and that’s when I came into
the picture. And that’s where I’m going to start.
My
grandfather has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. At a very young age my mom and I moved into a
neighbourhood in North Mississauga. Not
long after my grandparents moved into their home just one street over. They were always right around the
corner…walking distance from our house.
When you have
a grandchild you automatically earn the title of “grandpa”, but as many of you know he represented so much more. He was always my grandpa first, but you could
also say he was my teacher, my coach, my mentor, my financial advisor, my
psychologist…you might even say he was like a dad.
Even
somebody from the outside looking in can see that in the past 36 years my
grandpa has accomplished more than some people do in their entire lives. In his early
70s he was still waterskiing. He went
back to school and graduated from Sheridan College with a degree in Ceramic
Arts. At the time he was known for
graduating as Sheridan’s most Mature Student.
They couldn’t say oldest because it was politically incorrect…but let’s
be honest, he was. Moving into his 80s
he was white-water rafting with his girlfriend out on the West Coast. And still really loving life -with her. I really think that she played an intricate
part in keeping him young and happy. In
his 90s he made the move to Caledon where my mom, my husband and our family
live, he wrote his first book, became a published author, took up wood carving,
yoga…sometimes trying to get together with him is hard – he’s got a really busy
schedule!
He also
welcomed all four of his great-grandchildren into this world. These kids have been a highlight in his life the past seven years and have brought him so
much joy…not just being able to meet them, but really getting involved and being a part of their lives
(much like how he was when I was a kid).
From the hockey arena to the baseball and soccer fields, gymnastics and
dance recitals, returning to our summer home at Balsam Lake just last summer
and carving pumpkins together at Halloween…he hasn’t missed a thing and I know
moving forward he’ll continue to be
involved.
I have several
stories…they don’t really stand out as anything spectacular but they have a lot
of meaning for me. They’re the ones I’ll
continue to tell the rest of my life.
The first
one goes back to when I was in grade 4.
My grandparents had a pet rat named Susie whom they had adopted
when I was in grade 2. They adopted her
for one reason only…I really wanted her and unfortunately my
mom and I had a cat. And so my grandparents
reluctantly became her guardians. Well
she went on to become the most wonderful pet, living a long and happy life. Now here’s
where the story gets interesting…the expected life span of a rat is
approximately 2 years, which is exactly when Susie developed a tumour on her
neck. She was given weeks to live but
thankfully surgery was an option – although risky and very expensive! At that time I remember it being somewhere
around $500 dollars once all was said and done.
There were no guarantees and even if she made it through the surgery,
she would likely only live another few months considering her age. Well that was all my grandpa needed to hear…he
went ahead and paid for that surgery making me the happiest little girl
around. As for Susie, the surgery was
successful and she lived to be almost 3!
As a teenager (my husband won’t believe this one), but I actually went through a stage when I didn’t like girl’s clothing or anything that even remotely resembled it. I actually preferred shopping in the boys section and it was my grandpa who would take me. I remember we would go to the Bay and that’s where he would buy my clothes. Looking back I’m very thankful to him for doing that, for taking me there and never questioning why.
Moving forward…and this is a story I don’t think many people know. When I was in University I had just finished my 3rd year, was going into 4th, and was signed up to go on a camping trip with a bunch of students I had never met. The night before we were scheduled to leave I was staying with my grandpa (my mom was out of town). That particular night I was having an emotional breakdown over my boyfriend at the time. He didn’t want me going on the trip. I had been crying on and off all night and had pretty much decided I wasn’t going to go. At the time I figured my grandpa had no idea what was going on but the truth is I think he knew exactly what was going on. He sat me down and first and foremost he listened to me, then he talked to me and he told me that I needed to go. He drove me the next morning and made sure I got on that bus. I don’t think he realizes the extent of how much that meant to me. I wouldn’t have gone if it weren’t for him, and what’s crazy about the whole thing is that if I hadn’t gone I never would have met the girl who later introduced me to Jordan, my husband. I’ll never forget that night with my grandpa…I don’t really remember exactly what he said to me but the important thing is…he did what a typical girlfriend or mother would have done in a situation like that. And because of him I eventually met Jordan...and that’s how I look at it. For that reason alone, I am forever grateful to him.
A little later, just around the time I started dating Jordan, my grandfather found himself in the hospital with very little chance of surviving or so the Doctor’s had told us. He was in the ICU at the time when we had this conversation and I was there visiting him. I remember that day so clearly…he was told that he had less than a 5% chance of recovery but he took my hand that day and this is what he said…”I’m not going to be around forever but this isn’t my time, not now” and I remember leaving the hospital that day believing him 100%. I knew he was going to be ok and I knew he was coming home. I also knew I was going to have to give back his car because I had been borrowing it at the time to go and visit Jordan. But it was all good…all worth it.
The last thing I want to talk about is from more recently and it goes back to my own children and his role in their lives. This past Canada Day we welcomed Irelynn Grace. She arrived on Canada’s 150th birthday. When you have 4 kids no one comes to visit you in the hospital anymore because they’re all busy taking care of the other 3. But once again (like with his other great-grandchildren) my grandpa was Irelynn’s first visitor, besides those who were there for her actual birth (my husband and my mom). I’ll never forget the look in his eyes when he held her hand for the first time. There is just something so amazing about seeing that…he almost 100 years old and she was just hours old. To see those two together is just the most incredible thing in my mind. Seeing him with all his great-grandchildren…Hudson, Georgia, Jack, Irelynn (and our dog Cody – you can’t forget Cody) is incredible. I know most people, myself included never thought he would have that time with them.
Anyhow, a few weeks ago I started making the guestbook for today and when I was going through the pictures I really took my time…I wanted the perfect pictures and the perfect representations of his life. I was struggling to choose the last photo…then I came across one of him with Irelynn…it was taken back in October and I loved it then. Every time I see, I love it even more. Neither of them are even looking at the camera, instead they’re looking into each other’s eyes. I knew that was the one…the last picture I needed to complete the book. With it I included one of my favourite quotes which I’m going to finish with…it reminds me a lot of my grandpa and our relationship.
Here it is…
"If there is ever a tomorrow that we are not together, there is one thing you should always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is: even if we're apart, I'll always be with you in the heart."
-Winnie the Pooh
Happy Birthday Grandpa!
You are 100 years loved!
Have a wonderful week!
is your grandpa still alive?
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