Grandparents are some of the most important people in their grandchildren's lives. They have qualities of parents, teachers, and friends all in one. They say yes when you're parents say no and they make sure you never leave their house on an empty stomach.
My grandparents were the most inspirational people in my life. My grandfather was raised on a farm which meant he was an extremely hard worker and he continued to be throughout his entire life. My grandmother was very poor growing up. Her family raised their own food so, she knew to never take anything for granted and to appreciate everything she did have. They carried these traits with them throughout their entire lives and passed them down to me.
I have so many memories of my grandfather either on a tractor or in his garage fixing something. Once he got done work with his regular job, he began his work at home. He passed away at 86 and didn't stop working at home until the year before he passed. He never stopped until the work was done. It didn't matter if he didn't want to do it, he did it anyway. If something was broken, he fixed it. He may not have been the most affectionate person but despite his tough exterior, he had a heart of gold.
My grandmother was always telling stories. She had a story for everything and always told them in the best way. No matter what was going wrong in her life, she always managed to have a positive attitude. She could be fighting for her life but she would be more concerned with a friend who lost their cat. She went through her fair share of health difficulties which started before she was 30 with breast cancer followed by open heart surgery, pneumonia and lung cancer until she passed away at 79. She fought for not only her health but her life itself for more than half her existence and for that, I don't think I will ever meet anyone as strong as she was.
The thought of not having my grandparents around was something I never thought about until it happened, especially being only 19. I never thought I wouldn't see my grandfather at my high school graduation or my grandmother at my future wedding. I never thought seeing my grandfather laying unconscious on a hospital bed with wires and tubes hooked up to him would be my last memory of him still on this earth. I never thought my grandmother would get cancer for a second time completely unrelated to the first time but her heart be why she passed. I never thought that I could miss anyone as much as I do.
I also never thought that these very same people could have given me as much as they did. Grandparents have something very special about them. They carry so much wisdom and have legacies that makes every moment spent with them something to cherish. They taught me to always make the best of everything and to be grateful because there will always be someone out there who has it worse than you. My grandmother taught me to never let a day go by without laughing no matter what is going on in your life. Most importantly, appreciate everything you have even if you don't have everything you want.
Take the time to appreciate your family and know to never take anything in life for granted. Someday without expectation, you will lose something and it will throw you off guard and leave you will a million questions that can never be answered.
