There are many lessons a granddaughter learns from her grandpa. A list of things my grandpa taught me includes driving a tractor and the importance of travel (Places he took me include Italy, Germany, Normandy and more). But there are some lessons that stick out a little more than others, and I thought I would share the things I've had the privilege of learning from him.
Lesson #1: The Iowa State Fight Song
My grandpa and I have always shared a love for the Iowa State Cyclones. The man bled cardinal and gold. I'll never forget how his eyes lit up after I announced I would be attending his favorite university. Not a lot of four year olds can recite the Iowa State Fight song better than their ABC's, but because of my grandpa, I easily could.
Lesson #2: How to properly shuck corn
Iowans are blessed with the best sweet corn in the United States. This is only true if the husks are properly shucked. The amount of time spent removing all the hairs from each individual row of corn heavily out weighs the time spent flossing your teeth afterward. It wasn't just the process of shucking the corn, but also the time spent out back, having talks about his time spent as a farmer taking care of crops. His passion for farming, while something I can't relate to, inspired me to find my passion.
Lesson #3: Give back
Grandpa taught me that it feels just as good (better, even) to give back as it does to be successful. Whether it was by serving his country or joining Lyons Club to name a small portion of what he had contributed to others in his lifetime, giving back is so rewarding.
Lesson #4: Hard work pays off
If I could have the tiniest drop of work ethic my grandpa had for finals week, I would easily ace every one of my exams. He was a very successful, accomplished farmer, and because of that he was able to take care of his family, travel the world, provide for his grandchildren, and make amazing memories. He worked hard and never gave up. This is currently my finals week motivation.
Lesson #5: Family comes first
Whether it was a concert, dance recital, ball game, competition, you name it, I could always count on my grandpa to me a faithful member of the audience. It was never a question if he would be there or not, he was just there. Even toward the end, while he may not have been aware of his surroundings or who he was even there for (due to his illness) he would go support his children or grandchildren. No questions asked, his family was his favorite priority, even if that meant watching hours of girls spinning in tutus.
