Got this email just now from my mom. Some of you may remember me talking about my grandpa during the Cubs playoff run in 2003 (that is, I talked about him them…he wasn’t alive at the time).
_Dear Matt, Becky, Debbie, David, Daniel, Anya and Chaya,
Today would have been your grandfather’s 84th birthday, so if you find yourself feeling a warm glow inside maybe it’s because you are thinking of him.
One of the few things in life that saddens me is that perhaps Matt is his only grandchild to have seen a little of who he really was. But, if you ever find yourself cheering for the “underdog”, that’s his influence. If you ever find yourself volunteering to help an organization just because the help is needed and with no expectation or desire for applause or grandeur, that’s him, too. If you find yourself turning off lights to save money on the electricity, blame him also.
He had many sayings that, while I can’t recall many now, come to me at the appropriate time. But, when you find yourself “trusting him/her as far as I can throw an elephant” or thinking that “there is a place for everything and everything in its place”, know that it’s just him. However, the one that we heard often (and now I find myself trying to live by) is that “actions speak louder than words.”
Perhaps his greatest legacy should be the lesson of determination. He could be accused of being stubborn (and I remember his parents arguing over which one of them came from the more stubborn family so I guess he was doomed) but in his case it was manifested in his determination. His was a determination to overcome whatever obstacle was in his path–the final one being Parkinson’s. Not long before he died, he was at our house doing what he could for exercises and I overheard him telling Becky and/or Debbie that “if they ever come up with a cure for this thing, I’m going to ready”.
So, Happy Birthday, Grandpa. Some of us can remember that on our birthdays, he would call and greet us with his “Irish tenor” rendition of the birthday song, so maybe sing to him today.
With love,
Mom/Aunt Phyllis