Goodbye Pa

My grandfather died earlier today. He had lived through a couple of pretty serious heart attacks over a series of years and he had struggled with illness for the past five or six years so he was probably ready to go.

I haven’t been in much contact with Pa over the past decade, but in my early years he was the most important male figure in my life. I loved him dearly and will always remember the way he used to talk to me in rhymes and the way he laughed with me. I still have a much treasured letter from him, written in capital letters so I would be able to read it as a 6 year old girl…

I KNOW YOU’VE TOLD ME MANY TIMES
NOT TO SEND YOU ANY RHYMES
BUT I CAN’T THINK OF A SINGLE WORD
THAT RHYMES WELL WITH “BIG BIRD”

…it goes on, but it’s more of the same. He just loved making me laugh.

He was a great grandpa for all of my childhood, and my best friend for a very long time. Farewell Pa. I will always remember how wonderful you were to me.

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