05/18/2026
I'll start by saying I'm not an emotional person. I guess you could say I got that from my grandfather. My grandfather was a man of few words. Phone conversations lasted in minutes, and by minutes I mean less than 5 😂😂. He never said I love you, he barely gave you a hug. For the boys it was usually a handshake. He wasn't the grand parent that took you to get ice cream or that showed up to your ball games but his love was felt nonetheless. There was always a calm peacefulness when you were around him. I spent summers acting a fool in the country. Driving around town with a learners permit doing burnouts in his pickup truck lol. Everyone knew everyone and they especially knew my grandfather as he was a very prominent pastor. So ofc word got back to him and still the only time I heard him raise his voice was when he was preaching.
My grandfather was always like a mythical figure in my life. He not only spoke God's word but he lived it to a T. He didn't judge you, he didn't give others special treatment, he allowed people to be who they were and he respected everyone the same. If he disagreed with how they lived their lives no one would ever know, bc he never said a word. The embodiment of unconditional love. Never in my life have I meet or seen someone like him. The peace we all search for he found it sometime before my 40 years of life.
My grandmother died when I was in 8th grade and for decades it seemed like my grandfather would be here forever. Late in his life mortality became more apparent. I always thought well he's old thats what happens. I figured he would pass and life would go on. He did at the age of 97 and until the day of the funeral it never really hit me. Since then I've had a lot of questions that I really can't explain. I just wish I could be more like him and hopefully one day I hope I find his peace. Granddaddy I love you and im gonna miss you. Im sure you made many mistakes in life but the 40 years I witnessed were true perfection. I know you're always with me and pray you give me the strength to not only be myself but in many ways like you. RIP 🙏🏾
