My Grandfather

I got news that my grandfather passed away this weekend. Most of you who are close to me might not even know that I had a grandfather who is living. I talk a lot about my grandmother but not about my grandfather (they got divorced before I was born). The truth is, I didn't really know grampy that well. I usually just saw him once a year at Christmas time. I never really understood this since he only live two or three miles from my parents. That's just the way it has always been and I've never really questioned it- not out loud, anyway. The last time I saw him was at Christmas time. He talked more on that day than I had ever heard him talk in 32 years. Maybe he knew his time on earth was coming to an end and was making one last attempt to reach out to all of us. This is what I found out that day- Grampy was a World War II Veteran. He got a Purple Heart because he was shot in the leg during the war. He told us about all the places he had been during the war. He and my grandmother got divorced when my mom was in high school. He went on to marry Isabelle. Isabelle was a nice woman who died last November. Mom and her brothers and sisters were with grampy when he died. In the end, he only wanted to be with Isabelle. As he was dying, he reached his hands up in the air, like he was reaching for her. I hope they are together now. Writing this blog is hard because I have always resented my grandfather for not being a part of me and J's life. I never understood why he didn't want to be. I'm sure he had his reasons. I'm sure there is a lot I don't know. I am grateful to him because without him, there would be no me. I just hope he is at peace now.