Lessons I learned from my grandfather | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Family Friends

Reflections On My Grandfather Who I Will Always Look Up To

My late grandfather and I disagreed on practically everything from politics to religion, yet I look up to him more than anyone else. Here is why.

325
Reflections On My Grandfather Who I Will Always Look Up To
Personal photo

My grandfather lived a life of tragedy. At the age of 7, his father died of cancer. He grew up a poor sharecropper in the midst of the Great Depression and had to drop out of school in the 7th grade to help support his 14 brothers and sisters. He had to watch two of his brothers leave for the Second World War just to return home and die in a robbery. As soon as he was of age, he was sent to fight in Korea. Working on artillery fire, he had to witness several of his fellow platoon members die in front of him as well as having to deal with the hundreds of faceless soldiers he was having to kill because of a political ideology he did not even comprehend. To his deathbed, he would wake up in the middle of the night screaming from visions of the war. When he returned stateside, more tragedy followed. His stepson was murdered in a drug dispute, he had to deal with his granddaughter's descent into drugs and alcohol, and, at the end of it all, he died a long, drawn-out death from colon cancer. Despite all of this, there was one thing my grandfather never did: complain.

My grandfather was raised in a part of a dying generation of Americans; a generation that gave more than they took, that did what they thought was moral and right, and did not expect a damn thing out of life. My grandfather taught me that anything worth having was worth working hard for and that no one is "too good" for any job they are offered. He worked at the GM plant for 35 years, etching VIN numbers onto cars. He had to leave his home every day at 4 A.M. for backbreaking, physical labor, and yet he was extremely proud of his service for GM. He used his time on the assembly line to achieve something more fulfilling than personal gain: he used it as a chance to move his children forward. Reflecting on the opportunities he had wished he had, he paid for my mom and her brothers to pursue higher education, resulting in my uncles becoming a doctor and an engineer and making a better life for my mom than he had had when he was a child.

My grandfather was always extremely staunch in his political views, and though we disagreed on many topics, he never discouraged me from my political aspiration and ideology. Rather, he often encouraged me to continue to fight for what I thought was right. He impressed upon me the importance of standing for what you believe in, and if someone questions your beliefs, defend them until you can defend them no longer. In his eyes, any cause worth believing in was a cause worth fighting for, and this philosophy is what molded me into loving debate and the political process.

My grandfather died the day after I turned 15 years old. I was in the middle of getting my Learner's Permit printed when he passed away. Almost poetically, I still drive the Chevy ST that he had saved for me so that I would have a car when I started driving. Driving in his old truck, I often reflect on all the life lessons that he pressed upon me over the years, and I often think that maybe, just maybe, if more people would adhere to the philosophy of my grandfather, the world would be a much better place.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

98604
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

16831
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Health and Wellness

10 Hygiene Tips For All College Athletes

College athletes, it's time we talk about sports hygiene.

16040
Woman doing pull-ups on bars with sun shining behind her.

I got a request to talk about college athletes hygiene so here it is.

College athletes, I get it, you are busy! From class, to morning workouts, to study table, to practice, and more. But that does not excuse the fact that your hygiene comes first! Here are some tips when it comes to taking care of your self.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments