No matter what happens the world just keeps spinning. Like the changing seasons in the weather or the changing seasons of life you can be rest assured that whatever period of life you are going through in this moment will probably re-circulate in one fashion or another. I still haven't decided if this is a good thing or a bad thing because, like hair, time never seems to do what you want it to do. When you are at work, the DMV, or watching the last 35 seconds of a close football game, time seems to stand still, but the moment you are hanging out with good friends, swimming in the Meditteranean, or reading a good book, time seems to just slip through your fingers. What is interesting is that regardless of your perception of the speed of time, it is, in fact, a constant rate. One thing you can be sure about time is that it keeps going...and going...and going...but unlike the energizer battery it actually doesn't ever actually run out - even after you are gone.
On Wednesday afternoon I recieved the news that my grandfather had passed away. It came as no real surprise since, for the past 15 years my parents have noted before every major holiday "this could be his last". However, despite all of these warnings, Grandy, as he is known in my family, kept chugging away. At the ripe age of 100 years old the man seemed like he was going to outlive us all.
Most grandparents hold a specific role in a family - they are the givers of wisdom, the spoilers who sneak you chocolate for breakfast, the horrible gift givers that make you think to youself "how on earth am I going to write a thank you letter for this?", or the just plain crazy, confused, immobile, deaf elderly you happen to be related to. Regardless, they are family who played a vital role in your existance whom you should be forever grateful.
I am not only greatful for my grandfather's role in my life but I am blessed beyond measure by the relationship I was fortunate enough to have with him. Unlike most grandparents who come around once or twice a year around the holidays, my grandparents lived in the house directly behind my childhood home. So over the 25 1/4 years of my life I had close and personal relationships with my grandparents and I have shared many countless memories with them. Grandy was different than most grandfathers. He was no ordinary grandfather. He was an extra-ordinary grandfather who had a fascenating life.
My grandfather was born and raised on a Kentucky farm in 1910. After experiencing life on a farm through the dust bowl and Great Depression, Grandy was one of the most frugile people I have ever met in my life. Despite his unfortunate hording tendencies he actually invented quite useful gadgets from ordinary objects. To this day I have no idea how, by using a tuna can, wood rod, string, and a couple other pieces of junk, and an old can opener he invented a lightblub changer for the chandelier at his church. The way his brain solved problems was...something else. If you are ever so fortunate enough to visit my parent's house you will notice quite quickly and probably by surprise that all of the furniture in the kitchen is on wheels. Yep, even the dining table. "Why?" you ask? Because it prevents the wood floor from getting scratched, of course. I have to admit that a dining table that will shoot across the room with the slightest touch is exceedingly inconvenient, however, challenging my grandfather's ideas always proved to be even more inconvenient.
When I was a kid Grandy would do the coolest things for us grandkids. Before I was born he had build a cabin in Nederland, about 40 minutes west of Boulder in the mountains. Situated right beside Boulder Creek, the cabin had a wonderful hill...perfect for sledding in the wintertime. Often we would spend Christmas at the cabin with the family, aunts, uncles, and cousins included. For the weeks leading up to our arrival Grandy would go up to the cabin to get things prepared - which always included a state of the art luge run that wrapped around the wood shed and down the steep hill stopping just before the creek (which was always frozen). He would build up banked turns by watering down the snow and basically creating an ice track for the sleds. But with any construction process like this one it needed to be tested before the kids arrived...so he would send down my 70 year old grandmother to test the run. Wherever my grandmother would spill out over the edges would be where my grandfather would make repairs and reinforcements. Needless to say, his (and her) dedication was to an extreme.
Grandy also is the second oldest man in the world to complete a marathon. A month before his 93rd birthday my grandfather walked 26.2 miles of the streets of Denver. He got special permission from the race authorities and began his walk at 2:00 in the morning so he would have plenty of time to complete the race before the streets were opened for regular traffic. Reporters had gotten wind of the story as my grandfather was training and even put him in the news. After the race was finished he had dozons of people coming up to him, congratulating him, and telling him how he was the inspiration for why they decided to run the race. While his athletic adventure has yet to inspire me into action maybe now that he is gone I will actually pick up running. Maybe. (Just being honest).
As I mentioned, Grandy lived to be 100 years old. With great age comes great wisdom, and with great wisdom comes unscensored blatant honest opinions...even when unsolicited. Take, for example, the time in 2005 when I introduced my grandfather to my new boyfriend, whom I was very excited about at the time. After hearing that John Doe was extremely outdoorsy, athletic, and loved climbing mountains, Grandy got a splendid idea in his head - Mr. Doe should meet my cousin, Anya. Of course John would have to "abandon present company" but as Rebecca is "opposed to altitude" her cousin Anya would prove to be a more suitable fit for his interests (oh, you bet I remember those direct quotes). I was relieved to hear that my boyfriend felt confident in his choice to stick with with me, but nonetheless I called my mom in tears when I got home. However un-funny it was at the time, six years of healing and the fact that John Doe is now married to a granola bar makes the story one for the memories.
Along with his strong opinions about things came strong advice about things. You couldn't have a decently long conversation with the man without getting lectured on drinking 8 glasses of water a day. He always had crazy ideas about how to stay healthy (which, when you live to be 100, gives you the right to broadcast any habits that lead to a seemingly invincible lifestyle). Unfortunately, his well intentioned advice was also supplimented with a ridiculous approach of completing these things. For example, Grandy thought that my mom needed to exercise more at home (not knowing that my mom is actually extremely fit from her morning jaunts around the neighborhood). To my mom's utter astonishment my grandfather had found a fantastic stairstepper that he thought should go right out on my parent's balcony. No doubt he found the stairstepper on the side of the road after being discarded for various unknown malfunctions. It took my mom weeks to persuade the exercise equipmement from taking place on her property. Another story involves my grandfather for years lecturing us grandkids about the harmful rays of the sun and how we should always wear sunscreen to prevent skin damage. Last summer he read an article, probably in Reader's Digest no doubt, about the benefits of Vitamin D for absorbing calcium and how the sun is a leading source for the D. My mother was shocked to find my grandfather in his backyard (not a private back yard by any means), sunbathing in his skivies! It took a couple harsh conversations about the appropriate sunbathing attire for public view before Grandy abandoned the venture alltogether.
I have to say that out of all the people I have known in the world, my grandfather lived his last years to the fullest. He loved traveling and after my grandmother's death in 2008 he wasted no time at all and began traveling the world again. On his 98th birthday he swam with dolphins - in the Virgin Islands. His 99th birthday he spent building a self-sustaining farm in Nicaragua with my aunt and uncle. On his 100th birthday he was at home in Boulder, Colorado and then shortly after packed his bags and took a week long road trip (for the third time) to Nicaragua again before returning to Boulder three months later. If you don't believe me (or even if you do), check out this video:
While these are all funny stories and anecdotes that give a glimpse into the life of my grandfather, no words will ever describe what he means to me or the impact that he has had on my life. The world might keep turning and my grief will subside, but there will not be a day that goes by that I will not do something that reminds me of him. I will miss him greatly and love him always.
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| I.A. "Grandy" Butler |
On Wednesday afternoon I recieved the news that my grandfather had passed away. It came as no real surprise since, for the past 15 years my parents have noted before every major holiday "this could be his last". However, despite all of these warnings, Grandy, as he is known in my family, kept chugging away. At the ripe age of 100 years old the man seemed like he was going to outlive us all.
Most grandparents hold a specific role in a family - they are the givers of wisdom, the spoilers who sneak you chocolate for breakfast, the horrible gift givers that make you think to youself "how on earth am I going to write a thank you letter for this?", or the just plain crazy, confused, immobile, deaf elderly you happen to be related to. Regardless, they are family who played a vital role in your existance whom you should be forever grateful.
I am not only greatful for my grandfather's role in my life but I am blessed beyond measure by the relationship I was fortunate enough to have with him. Unlike most grandparents who come around once or twice a year around the holidays, my grandparents lived in the house directly behind my childhood home. So over the 25 1/4 years of my life I had close and personal relationships with my grandparents and I have shared many countless memories with them. Grandy was different than most grandfathers. He was no ordinary grandfather. He was an extra-ordinary grandfather who had a fascenating life.
My grandfather was born and raised on a Kentucky farm in 1910. After experiencing life on a farm through the dust bowl and Great Depression, Grandy was one of the most frugile people I have ever met in my life. Despite his unfortunate hording tendencies he actually invented quite useful gadgets from ordinary objects. To this day I have no idea how, by using a tuna can, wood rod, string, and a couple other pieces of junk, and an old can opener he invented a lightblub changer for the chandelier at his church. The way his brain solved problems was...something else. If you are ever so fortunate enough to visit my parent's house you will notice quite quickly and probably by surprise that all of the furniture in the kitchen is on wheels. Yep, even the dining table. "Why?" you ask? Because it prevents the wood floor from getting scratched, of course. I have to admit that a dining table that will shoot across the room with the slightest touch is exceedingly inconvenient, however, challenging my grandfather's ideas always proved to be even more inconvenient.
When I was a kid Grandy would do the coolest things for us grandkids. Before I was born he had build a cabin in Nederland, about 40 minutes west of Boulder in the mountains. Situated right beside Boulder Creek, the cabin had a wonderful hill...perfect for sledding in the wintertime. Often we would spend Christmas at the cabin with the family, aunts, uncles, and cousins included. For the weeks leading up to our arrival Grandy would go up to the cabin to get things prepared - which always included a state of the art luge run that wrapped around the wood shed and down the steep hill stopping just before the creek (which was always frozen). He would build up banked turns by watering down the snow and basically creating an ice track for the sleds. But with any construction process like this one it needed to be tested before the kids arrived...so he would send down my 70 year old grandmother to test the run. Wherever my grandmother would spill out over the edges would be where my grandfather would make repairs and reinforcements. Needless to say, his (and her) dedication was to an extreme.
Grandy also is the second oldest man in the world to complete a marathon. A month before his 93rd birthday my grandfather walked 26.2 miles of the streets of Denver. He got special permission from the race authorities and began his walk at 2:00 in the morning so he would have plenty of time to complete the race before the streets were opened for regular traffic. Reporters had gotten wind of the story as my grandfather was training and even put him in the news. After the race was finished he had dozons of people coming up to him, congratulating him, and telling him how he was the inspiration for why they decided to run the race. While his athletic adventure has yet to inspire me into action maybe now that he is gone I will actually pick up running. Maybe. (Just being honest).
As I mentioned, Grandy lived to be 100 years old. With great age comes great wisdom, and with great wisdom comes unscensored blatant honest opinions...even when unsolicited. Take, for example, the time in 2005 when I introduced my grandfather to my new boyfriend, whom I was very excited about at the time. After hearing that John Doe was extremely outdoorsy, athletic, and loved climbing mountains, Grandy got a splendid idea in his head - Mr. Doe should meet my cousin, Anya. Of course John would have to "abandon present company" but as Rebecca is "opposed to altitude" her cousin Anya would prove to be a more suitable fit for his interests (oh, you bet I remember those direct quotes). I was relieved to hear that my boyfriend felt confident in his choice to stick with with me, but nonetheless I called my mom in tears when I got home. However un-funny it was at the time, six years of healing and the fact that John Doe is now married to a granola bar makes the story one for the memories.
Along with his strong opinions about things came strong advice about things. You couldn't have a decently long conversation with the man without getting lectured on drinking 8 glasses of water a day. He always had crazy ideas about how to stay healthy (which, when you live to be 100, gives you the right to broadcast any habits that lead to a seemingly invincible lifestyle). Unfortunately, his well intentioned advice was also supplimented with a ridiculous approach of completing these things. For example, Grandy thought that my mom needed to exercise more at home (not knowing that my mom is actually extremely fit from her morning jaunts around the neighborhood). To my mom's utter astonishment my grandfather had found a fantastic stairstepper that he thought should go right out on my parent's balcony. No doubt he found the stairstepper on the side of the road after being discarded for various unknown malfunctions. It took my mom weeks to persuade the exercise equipmement from taking place on her property. Another story involves my grandfather for years lecturing us grandkids about the harmful rays of the sun and how we should always wear sunscreen to prevent skin damage. Last summer he read an article, probably in Reader's Digest no doubt, about the benefits of Vitamin D for absorbing calcium and how the sun is a leading source for the D. My mother was shocked to find my grandfather in his backyard (not a private back yard by any means), sunbathing in his skivies! It took a couple harsh conversations about the appropriate sunbathing attire for public view before Grandy abandoned the venture alltogether.
I have to say that out of all the people I have known in the world, my grandfather lived his last years to the fullest. He loved traveling and after my grandmother's death in 2008 he wasted no time at all and began traveling the world again. On his 98th birthday he swam with dolphins - in the Virgin Islands. His 99th birthday he spent building a self-sustaining farm in Nicaragua with my aunt and uncle. On his 100th birthday he was at home in Boulder, Colorado and then shortly after packed his bags and took a week long road trip (for the third time) to Nicaragua again before returning to Boulder three months later. If you don't believe me (or even if you do), check out this video:
While these are all funny stories and anecdotes that give a glimpse into the life of my grandfather, no words will ever describe what he means to me or the impact that he has had on my life. The world might keep turning and my grief will subside, but there will not be a day that goes by that I will not do something that reminds me of him. I will miss him greatly and love him always.
