To Grandpa- From Your Princess
I hate this. I knew I’d never be ready for you to go because you’ve been so much more than just a grandpa to me. You’ve been my second dad. You’ve been my best friend. You’ve been my comedic relief whenever I’ve needed it, which seems to be a lot. You’ve given me the best advice, even if I’m not asking for it. And you’ve been with me through every triumph I’ve had and every mistake I’ve made; you’re one of my biggest fans. You’ve always believed I would do great things, and you never once doubted me or looked down on me. You’ve been the forgiving soul that reassures me everything will be okay, and you’re the person who reminds me to be a more patient, kind person to everyone, even if I’m not their biggest fan. You’ve made me feel like the smartest, most important person in the world. And you’ve been the most upstanding person I’ve ever known. I’m so incredibly lucky to have been your princess for the last 21 years.
I’m going to miss getting phone calls from you just asking what I’m doing. I’m going to miss watching you show off and give me the cute smirk you do. I’m going to miss listening to you tell jokes and then explain them to me even though I understood it the first time. I’m going to miss hearing updates on the Twins games since it’s the only thing you seem to watch, besides “That 70’s Show.” I’m going to miss hearing, “Hi sweetheart” every time I walk into the house.
You’ve brought so much light, happiness, stability, and love into my life and I hate knowing I have to figure out a world that doesn’t include you. I find comfort knowing you raised my mom to be just like you because it means I have the best mom in the world. I find comfort knowing you didn’t fear death, but instead had unwavering faith. I know your worry was about us; the ones you love. You kept saying you knew it would be hard on us because we weren’t ready. With that in mind I thought about a special Winnie the Pooh quote. It goes, “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.” What could be more fitting than that? The following days, months, and even years won’t be easy. But knowing I’ll always be reminded of you means I’ll always be reminded of how lucky I am to have someone that was so hard to say goodbye to.