Dear Abby,
There are going to be times in your life that you think life's not fair. You may not have all the money you want. You may not have all the stuff you want. You may not have the job you want. There are lots of reasons that may make you sit down and feel sorry for yourself.
When you do this, I hope you will remember this letter. Because this is what life is really all about...
Yesterday we laid to rest your great-granddaddy Albert Barnes. Granddaddy had been diagnosed with colon cancer just a few months ago in April. It seemed to be totally unfair that he was leaving us so quickly. But I have spent the last 10 days soaking him all in. Maybe in your little eyes you were thinking that it wasn't fair that your mommy wasn't around so much this last week. And for that I am really sorry. But I know that you will understand that one day.
As for Granddaddy...well there's really just too much to say. He was the nicest person I knew. I can honestly say that in my entire life I never remember one time that I or anyone else was mad at him. I have never heard a single person say an unkind word about him. And I've never heard him say anything unkind about anyone else.
On Friday, I was talking on the phone with one of Nonnie's friends and I just naturally made the comment that Granddaddy sure had a wonderful life. And it made me cry...and it made me think..The movie It's a Wonderful Life is a great movie. If you don't love it, I'm kinda unsure if you're really my kid. :) But the whole movie is about this guy that thinks he's worth more dead than alive. And throughout the movie he realizes just how rich he really is - he has family and friends that love him.
Granddaddy was rich like that. He had so many friends and such a big loving family. But he knew that he was lucky. He knew that he was blessed. And he knew that he had a wonderful life. He lived life to the fullest. He golfed, he fished, he smiled and laughed, he winked and joked. All the time.
Now that's a wonderful life.
Remember that Abby. And as you grow up and the world tries to tell you that you need stuff and you need money and you need an attitude. Just remember that there once lived a man who loved you very much. His name was Albert Lowndes Barnes. He had very little "stuff" and yet he was the richest man I knew.
There are going to be times in your life that you think life's not fair. You may not have all the money you want. You may not have all the stuff you want. You may not have the job you want. There are lots of reasons that may make you sit down and feel sorry for yourself.
When you do this, I hope you will remember this letter. Because this is what life is really all about...
Yesterday we laid to rest your great-granddaddy Albert Barnes. Granddaddy had been diagnosed with colon cancer just a few months ago in April. It seemed to be totally unfair that he was leaving us so quickly. But I have spent the last 10 days soaking him all in. Maybe in your little eyes you were thinking that it wasn't fair that your mommy wasn't around so much this last week. And for that I am really sorry. But I know that you will understand that one day.
As for Granddaddy...well there's really just too much to say. He was the nicest person I knew. I can honestly say that in my entire life I never remember one time that I or anyone else was mad at him. I have never heard a single person say an unkind word about him. And I've never heard him say anything unkind about anyone else.
On Friday, I was talking on the phone with one of Nonnie's friends and I just naturally made the comment that Granddaddy sure had a wonderful life. And it made me cry...and it made me think..The movie It's a Wonderful Life is a great movie. If you don't love it, I'm kinda unsure if you're really my kid. :) But the whole movie is about this guy that thinks he's worth more dead than alive. And throughout the movie he realizes just how rich he really is - he has family and friends that love him.
Granddaddy was rich like that. He had so many friends and such a big loving family. But he knew that he was lucky. He knew that he was blessed. And he knew that he had a wonderful life. He lived life to the fullest. He golfed, he fished, he smiled and laughed, he winked and joked. All the time.
Now that's a wonderful life.
Remember that Abby. And as you grow up and the world tries to tell you that you need stuff and you need money and you need an attitude. Just remember that there once lived a man who loved you very much. His name was Albert Lowndes Barnes. He had very little "stuff" and yet he was the richest man I knew.
I love you Abby,
Mommy
*********************************
Lessons I learned from Granddaddy:
- Graham crackers and milk are the best snack in the world. This was a classic at grandmama and granddaddy's house. (Along with slaw dawgs, but that's another story)
- Eating around the table as a family is probably the best way to stay close. I can't think of a time that we didn't eat at the table for a meal at Granddaddy's house. Even as it grew to 3 or 4 tables we all still gathered around together.
- There's nothing like the smell of coffee in the late afternoon. I don't drink it but I loved that smell.
- A nice, green lawn is worth the work (my mom continues this tradition...I'm working on it...)
- Catching and baiting a mayfly off the dock is a real talent.
- Snoring is a real talent too :)
- A good wink or a flick of the finger is all you need to "say" sometimes.
- Family and God are more important than anything else in this world....
To Granddaddy - I will keep you in my heart forever. I promise. And I will see you again someday.
2 comments:
That was beautiful Jamie. :)
Great job. He was the richest man.
Dad (Dawg)
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