Remembering Grandpa This Grandparent’s Day

Today is Grandparent’s Day and because my grandparents are gone I am choosing one of them to honor today.I usually talk about my Grandma Layne, but today I’m honoring my Grandpa Bell. He’s the one who took us on jeep rides on Sunday afternoons when we were young. I also remember some of the things he loved like, Checkers, farming, church, molasses, watching his grandsons play basketball and his family. I also remember my father’s face when he told me Grandpa Bell had died. I don’t care how old you are losing a parent is like losing a large chunk of your own life.

I asked some of my cousins to share their memories of Grandpa and this is what they said….

From my cousin Martha: I remember insisting that I could blow dry grandpas hair! Needless to say it was a big puffball, but he just laughed! But my most favorite memories are those Christmas morning drives to my cousin Teresa’s house. He was as dependable as the postman was! He took me no matter what the road conditions were! He was my hero- he did this just for me and I felt very special!

From my cousin Daniel-Grandpa died when I was 10, so I don’t have a lot of concrete memories. I just remember a stern demeanor, that I thought he was tough for an old man, and that gravelly voice. I don’t remember playing with him a lot. But I do remember he would take me to the Dump (a local restaurant nicknamed The Dump) and let me get Three Musketeers candy bars, even though he knew I was allergic to them. I recall thinking that was odd, but being a child, didn’t really question it.

From my cousin Russell: Most of my memories center around two or three areas, showing us how to work, babysitting us, teaching us how to drive. But there was always a central theme running through everything he showed me. He was the king of common sense. I don’t know how many times I do something or fix something or make something and I think back with gratitude on Grandpa’s ability to transfer common sense to a group of rambunctious boys. I do not necessarily believe he was aware of this most important gift he had. I do believe he was aware that the common sense approach was the way to go but I think he may have been unaware of the lasting influence it would have on me. If my career had been fence mending, I would probably been CEO of one of the largest fence mending companies in the world, he was that good! I have a permanent “video clip” burnt deep into my memory. Grandpa would be expertly using an ancient pair of pliers to manipulate a piece of barbwire and on the back of his hand a rivulet of blood would trickle down the width of his fist. I would always ask, “are you all right, grandpa?” and he would grunt or comment it was just a scratch, “now put a steeple right there bonehead!” There was one area he and I never came together. He always thought that it should be so easy to make free throws. He always told me all you have to do is repeat the same motion. Same distance, same muscles, nobody guarding you, I still missed some 30% of mine much to his frustration. He was a loving man, not displayed by hugs and kisses, but by his infinite patience with a boy who absorbed more than Mr. Bell ever imagined.

There were ten of us grandchildren. Each of us have our own special memories of a very special man.

If your grandparent is still alive, give them a phone call or better yet, give them a hug!