Well, look who it is

It's been a long summer. I thought it would be easy to start with the things that made me happy, but then something terribly sad occurred. I have sat down to begin again, and today reminded me of one of the things that makes me happy— family.  The good, the bad, and the ugly.  The positive and the negative both make families the ones we love the most.  Family consists of the people who support and love you, and the people you can confide in and trust. For me, family is those who are there for me when trouble hits, when success is had, and when failure is found.  I love my family dearly.

My family recently encountered a loss; my beloved Papaw left this earthly world on July 7.  It was not that it wasn’t expected, but that it happened so quickly.  This year has been filled with trips back and forth to Florida, spending time with my grandparents when they needed us most.  I am fortunate that I was able to spend as much time as I did and create final moments of happiness and joy.  My Papaw was the greatest example of what a Papaw should be.  Someone who was kind and understanding, could laugh at the simple things, and always found time to make me feel special.  He saw me for me, and that all that mattered.

I know you are thinking, How can something so sad be something that makes you happy.  My Papaw was special, and my heart is full of the special times we shared. He wasn’t always sick. Before he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, he was sharp as a tack. He was a hard-working, quiet man, but I knew one thing: that I was always his girl. And that is what makes me happy.  Funny thing about his disease, he never forgot who I was.  His shield was let down, and his playful, mischievous side came out.  He couldn’t hear very well, but that never stopped him from watching TV at full blast or trying to figure out how to talk on the phone when it was on speaker. Every morning, he would greet me with, Well, look who it is? Sometimes followed by When did you get here, even though we had been there for weeks. I have many fun memories in my heart, but one of my favorites is Twin Day.  

He was in a playful, silly mood, and we were going to dinner. As we were getting ready, Mom put a bracelet on me.  Papaw came over to me and asked where he was.  Mom found one for him to wear.  He proudly wore a dimestore bracelet with a silver star hanging from it.  Then, when we were getting in the car, he sat next to me and noticed my fuzzy pink seatbelt protector.  Yup, he asked where his was?  Mom dug out the pair from the car.  I didn’t even know she had a spare one, let alone had it with her.  You never know what Mom has hidden in the car. It's like Mary Poppins' bag with everything but the kitchen sink, just in case we need it.  We were two peas in a pod, twins ready to go eat.

He was always happy to see us and never seemed sad when we left. This was because we made him happy, and he knew we would come back and see each other again.  It will be different to go back to their house without him in it, but I know I will see him everywhere.  His smile, twinkling eyes, and sense of humor live on in my memories.   He helped set my foundation so that I was on firm ground.

This is what mom means when she says to find the positive in every situation and remember it. It's easy to remember the terrible things.  They tend to taint our experiences and dominate our conversations, overshadowing the fun and good.  I am going to look for the positive so that I can turn sad moments into happy ones. So that when I remember, I shed happy tears, not sad ones.

our last picture together

Thank you for reading until the end!

Here's what things look like from my wheelchair, where amazing things can really happen. Always strive for the impossible. Check back next week to see what's on my mind and hear more about my experiences and The View From My Wheelchair.