This week, my grandpa died. My siblings and loyal parents gathered around the night before and sung them the nightly ritual of "Tis Love That Makes Us Happy" as well as a few other hymns. Tears were shed. Memories were shared. I thought that this would be the hardest, being awoken to a somber voice telling me, that "Grandpa went to sleep with Jesus."
It's not often that all seven of my siblings and I are together, aside from Christmas or Thanksgiving, or a big event that happens during the year. For two days during the week, there we are. Together.
The real pain was the aftermath. My grandma and grandpa have been tied at the hip for over 65 years. There was no Bob without Betty, and no Betty without Bob. They were one. She has for all of her life had him by her side.
Right now my Grandma is banging on her bedroom door. She refuses to go to sleep.
My mom and I went into her nicely re-decorated bedroom with a pink comforter and dolls to get her ready for bed. She kept snapping at us, saying "now he is mine and I have chosen him for all this time and I don't understand why you are doing this to me." She has taken quite a liking to my dad, and refuses to let anyone else have even a glance of him. I don't know how my mom does it. She calmly replies, "I know, Mom. I know you don't understand. I love you, Mom." As the ritual continues, we begin singing our evening song.
"Tis love that makes us happy
Tis love that smoothes the way
It helps us mind
It keeps us kind
To others
Everyday."
We get choked up, and both start crying. We hug each other. She is so confused. If she could see herself now in her right state of mind. If she knew that she is not a mean person. Even in her dementia, she doesn't fully understand what's going on, but she knows that a huge part of her is missing.
I can only hope to mimic the kind of love and care to my parents as mine have so humbly shown to my grandparents, and I can only hope to mimic the kind of love that they showed to each other, for their entire lives. When you get married, you vow to love each other as long as you both shall live. You vow to become one. I thought I had just lost my Grandpa, but my Grandma will never be the same either, because they were one.
Grandpa's love language was definitely not one of words, but rather of actions. I rarely remember sitting down just talking. I do however recall watching the infamous movie "It Takes Two" hundreds of times, sneaking ice cream away from Grandma, him picking me up absolutely whenever I needed him, gardening, going on walks, the list goes on. There are so many untold stories, so much that I still don't know! The thought of there being such a distinct beginning and end is just mind boggling. How can someone be here one minute, and be gone the next? How can it take nine months for someone to come into this world, and a second for them to go? Why does everyone come together when your born and when you die, but the life in between goes so fast? why. why. WHY? I want to know his stories, his life, where he came from. I was so close to him, and I still don't know him. Life seems so long, but it goes by so fast.
