107 years ago today my grandfather was born. Granted, it is a little unusual for a 36 year old woman to have a grandfather of that age. My grandfather had my mom in his early 30s and she had me in her late 30s. Hence, my grandfather would be 107 if he were alive. Sadly, he actually passed away 21 years ago this month.
I often think of my grandfather. He was a kind and gentle man - also a gentleman. I was incredibly lucky to get to know him well. My grandparents lived close by when I was little, and they moved in with us when I was in 3rd grade. My grandmother was sick and they became an integral part of our household. I loved it.
My grandfather died when I was in high school. We spent a lot of time together, especially after my grandmother passed away when I was in 8th grade. My grandfather's family were candy makers by trade, and our Christmas trees growing up were adorned with candy canes he made himself. You haven't had a candy cane until you've had a home made one. He had a beard that was always scratchy when you'd give him a kiss. He was adorable - even when he was chasing boys away from the house, shaking his cane (a long story). I learned a lot about love from my grandfather.
Today is also Abraham Lincoln's birthday which is why 107 years ago today, German immigrants Anton and Ida Schmelzer named their newborn American son Ludwig Lincoln Schmelzer.
Lastly, today is also an anniversary of sorts in my own life. Four years ago today, I wrote the letter asking to become a pre-candiate with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. I didn't mail the letter until Valentine's Day, but it was on granddad's birthday that I met with my vocation and formation director and decided to see if God was calling me to a life of love and service with this wonderfully crazy group of Sisters. The rest, as they say, is history (in the making).
1 comment:
Awesome post! You know, you could sometimes link to a post you've done to your Facebook updates. Just and idea!
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