X 8.27.14

Grandpa Walter passed this morning in his sleep. There are so many things I want to remember forever about my Grandfather.

I want to remember how grateful I feel that he passed peacefully, after weeks of loving attention from family and friends.

I want to remember how grateful I feel that I have had so many hours to be with him in his final days. How I got to read chapters from the Bible to him after his eyes began to fail. How he seemed to have an uncanny knack at picking the right chapters of the right books, especially for our final reading (Romans 8). How I had the privilege of holding his hand or arm or stroking his forehead. How we got to watch an inning of the Brewers game together a couple nights ago. How I was the last person to feed him dinner and the last family member to see him alive.

I want to remember how my son told my wife that Grandpa Walter was going to heaven during prayers one night, even though we hadn’t discussed the illness with him. How my spirituality has been reawakened through the process of saying goodbye to a man who has been an integral part of my life since birth.

I feel almost guilty that I’ve experienced all these wonderful things. These riches. These gifts.

I plan to keep reading out loud to him. My dad and my grandma gave his Bible to me.