Move along

My grandfather surrendered in his long battle with cancer this past thursday night. He'd fought the good fight for many years and we got many more years with him than the doctors ever promised. Tomorrow is promised to no one, but he demanded as many as he could have to see us grandchildren grow and to pass on his advice and to take care of us. Born in 1922, his was a generation that saw this country at war more times than any other generation before. He was not only one of the few to finish grade school and high school, but managed to get through college and send his son and 3 daughters at a time when even that was rare. His marriage, mixed (between himself, a Protestant and my grandmother, a Catholic) was one of the many social and religious barriers he broke. He was a man of principal and great faith in his loving God. Years of attendance at his wife's Catholic church and arguments with several priests earned him the right to take communion there despite not converting and the respect of the priest who presided over his funeral. Years of dedication to his work on the railroad and to every person whom he ever worked with or lived near brought dozens of neighbors and coworkers, golf buddies and bowling league partners out to his wake and funeral. Almost all of them said that not only was he a good man, but "he had time for me." He was a man who did everything, and still made time for every person in his life. He raised a family that loved him and were ever present and went on to do things he was proud of. He raised a daughter who became a nurse and raised 5 children, while living out her faith in very real ways that showed her love for her family and the world. He raised one daughter who has served the public in NY government for more than a quarter of a decade, much of which was in the nutrition office, choosing and providing healthy meals for all children. He raised my mother who became a teacher and librarian, while earning a graduate degree and who raised 2 kids. He raised a son who served more than 2 decades in the Coast Guard, and the private sector where he more or less wrote the book on environmental disaster response and prevention, and moved on to work for the Department of Homeland Security and write the books on how better to respond to hurricanes and natural disasters. In so doing all of this, my grandfather raised 7 grandchildren who are all in or headed for college and met two of his future in-laws before passing. He is a man who not only worked hard to provide and to thank God for his blessings, but made time for the people in his life and to be a blessing to them. He selected I Corinthians 13 to be read at his service, and i read it knowing that he embodied what was within the text. He had great faith, much hope, and deep love, and he made time to let that love be shown in very real ways. May i be so blessed to live a life so full of all these things.