On my dad's side of the family, my sister and I never called our grandparents by the names of "Grandma" and "Grandpa." Instead, we called them Honey and Big Daddy. The names were unique and handpicked by our grandparents themselves. Honey was as sweet as her name and Big Daddy was exactly how you would imagine - like a big teddy bear. Honey believed the two of them were simply too young to be called Grandma and Grandpa by the time Ashley and I were born, which led to the creation of their new names.
For the first several years of my life, I believed Honey and Big Daddy were my grandparents' actual first names, and to this day, I sometimes still believe it to be true.
Honey and Big Daddy lived in Naples, Florida for the first twelve years of our lives, so spring break trips were spent visiting them. Ashley and I always looked forward to staying in our favorite bedroom with wallpaper that made it feel like the beach was right in front of you. I felt just as comfortable in their home as I did on my own. Looking back now, I wish those trips could have lasted even longer than they did.
I wish I hadn't taken those trips for granted.
The last time I visited Naples was in sixth grade. The following year, Big Daddy had an unexpected heart attack, and he and Honey ended up moving to Louisville. It was a bittersweet situation filled with anxiety and tears, but Big Daddy managed to fight through the difficulties and gradually gain back his strength. Upon hearing the great news, our family let out a breath we didn't even know we had been holding.
Not only did it bring the family closer together, but it made us grateful for what we had.
I had been lucky to inherit Big Daddy's talent for running at a young age and was delighted to have him in town to watch all of my track meets. He and Honey were in the stands for each competition they could make it to and even cheered on Ashley and me during the summer during our swim meets. Getting the privilege to see them even more than I expected was a huge blessing that provided me with countless memories.
However, as I grew older, so did my grandfather.
By the time I reached my junior year of high school and Christmas finally came around, Big Daddy had suddenly become weak and ended up in the hospital. Two way too short months later, Big Daddy passed away while surrounded by his loved ones. I had never felt so heartbroken, and neither had my family. However, as we grieved with one another, we realized that Big Daddy would not want us to feel upset.
He would want us to live our lives to the fullest, no matter the circumstances.
That was the biggest lesson I learned from Big Daddy. He truly was bigger than life itself and spent every single day like it was his last. He always said I love you first, ate dessert before dinner, and laughed so loud that it could only make you laugh too. He lived the life that I aspire to live, and it has served me well over the past two years. Big Daddy is my inspiration, and I am lucky to have had sixteen incredible years with him.
No matter how tough life can be, you never know when it may be your last day. Live each one without regret.
