My family and I have taken trips to Montana for many summers throughout my life. Since they both grew up there, we get to see the different places where they lived and hear stories from them about what life was like for them there. We drive through Bozeman and see all of the places they hung out, and when we get to Billings, they show me and my brother their old schools and we all get to visit with relatives. It’s always a fun trip that gives me some insight into their lives.
There’s only one thing that makes the trip even better though, and that’s getting to spend time with my grandpa.
For years I can remember going over to my grandparents’ house and being excited to hear what my grandpa would talk about this time. He has always had the ability to tell amazing stories about his life, whether it’s his brief time playing minor league baseball, the time he served the U.S. Navy during World War II, or even his college years spent in Scotland. With technology advancing over the years, he has even written or made video recordings of his stories and sent them to us! It seems like he has a new story to tell each time, and I look forward to hearing them every time I get the chance to.
My grandpa leaves me in awe in so many ways. He’s 92 years old and legally blind, but he is still able to do so much in his spare time. He helps out around the house year round, rakes leaves in the autumn and shovels snow off of the walkway in the snowy Montana winters. He even will barbecue in the summer! He attends AA meetings from time to time, and makes regular trips to the VA clinic. Wherever he goes, he ends up talking to someone new along the way and leaving them smiling as he goes.
He does all of this in stride and never complains about being too old or how he can’t see because of his lost eyesight. To me, that is incredible.
My grandpa has lived a long life, but he has also gotten the opportunity to do some incredible things in recent years because of what he’s done, namely, his service in the Navy. As a U.S. veteran, he has gotten to take a few trips.
One trip sent him to Washington state for several weeks, where we were able to spend time with him. This trip also allowed him to get some cool technology that is friendly toward him, which has given him an easier way to write his stories and to send emails to us.
The other big trip he took was to Washington D.C. with other World War II veterans to see the World War II Memorial and other monuments. Though this trip was a lot shorter than the other one, it still seemed just as cool. He has even gotten to talk on the radio about his experiences.
I can’t say enough how awesome I think it is that he has gotten to do so much with his life, even in the later years.
Hearing about my grandpa’s life and the many adventures he has taken has inspired me. Through his different journeys in life both past and present, I have been inspired to always chase my dreams, and to never give up. I have also learned to take every opportunity for growth that life throws my way. If I have the chance to experience something new, I grab it.
I am inspired by my grandpa’s strength and perseverance. When I am much older I want to be healthy enough to take trips or even just help out with yard work. I want to be able to leave my house and look forward to doing even the most mundane activities, and I hope I can be comfortable enough to just talk to a passing stranger one day.
His storytelling has inspired me the most though. As a writer, I want to be able to tell stories in as much detail as he has, whether I’m 32 or 92 when I’m telling those stories. I want to be able to sit in a room with my children, grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren and tell them about the journeys I take in life.
I also hope to remember as much of my grandpa’s legacy as I can so that way my future kids and grandkids can know just how much he meant to me. I want to tell them about his “stories of this and that,” his can-do attitude, and his many different journeys in life. I want him to inspire my future kids and grandkids as much as he has inspired me throughout my life.
