This summer my Grandpa passed away. He was 94 years old. I think of him often, and still have it in my calendar to call him on Monday afternoons. I’ll take it off one of these days but I am not ready yet.
This morning he has been on my mind a lot. My Grandpa was a simple man who left us with his jokes, his many songs, and his love and faith. Also, 41 years ago today, he gave me a gift that I will treasure forever.
This letter.
My Grandpa wrote this letter to my parents a few days after I was born. He was on a flight to Atlanta to meet me for the first time.
You see, I was born by an emergency c-section and when I was born, I didn’t make a sound. The cord was around my neck 7 times. Rather than my parents holding me those first moments I was surrounded by doctors who were making sure I would breathe. It was thought that I would have brain damage and seizures throughout my life. Yet, thankfully I am here today with no brain damage and have never had a seizure.
Last year when my parents moved, my mom gave me this letter. It was the first time I saw it. It moved me to tears when I read it then, and it still captures my heart when I read it now.
My Grandfather was a quiet man of faith. Yet in this letter, he gifted me with a view into the depth of his relationship with God and the love he had for me. He didn’t understand why I had struggled when I was born, but he chose to trust God’s plan for me. He said things about me in this letter that he never told me in person, like I was a fighter, a warrior, and that maybe I went through this difficult time for a reason, so we can all learn a lesson about a God from it.
To see how my Grandpa leaned into his faith, and spoke words of love over me during those first few days of my life, is a priceless gift I will always treasure.
Although my Grandpa passed, this letter is something I have and can read over and over again to remind me of the depths of his faith and his love for me.
What will we leave behind to those we love?
My Grandpa gave me his faith and his love for me. To me, there is nothing greater than that.
I share this with you today because I am inspired by him to do the same. I wanted to invite you to join me to...
pause. breathe. pray.
May we follow my Grandpa’s lead and come beside our loved ones in their time of need and remind them who God is and give them our love. Maybe it isn’t in a text, or a phone call. Maybe we sit down and break out a pen and paper and send them a card by mail. Maybe the words we share will also be there, 41 years later, and our loved ones can read them over and over again, grateful for who you are and how you took the time to write them that note in their time of need.
Thank you, Grandpa for taking the time to write this letter. Thank you for sharing your faith in God with me and for loving me, through the good and the bad times. I love and miss you💕🙏💕
With gratitude, love and hope,
Shawn
