Learning from my ancestor.

Some news is hard to digest, like these are the last of the winter beets. Some news is really hard to digest. I got news on Friday of last week that I just didn’t want to digest when my dad messaged the family’s WhatsApp group with the sad news of my grandpa passing away, or as he always said, graduated.

My grandpa was a great person with flaws like us all. But he taught me many things and today I want to share 2 things that have helped shape who I am today.

He taught me what good old hard work is. We are about fifty years apart but I will never forget when I was in my early 20’s, him being in his early 70’s and we were digging and placing fence posts in the ground. We would dig a hole about a foot wide and about 3 feet deep, than place the post in and return all the dirt packing it around securing the post where it wouldn’t move at all. Again he was 50 years older than me but kept right up with me, we would finish at the same time and I wasn’t going easy. He had just beautiful technique that it wasn’t about strength any more it was about good old hard work. My grandpa was a hard worker.

He also taught me to never stop learning. Since I can remember my grandparents have had a garden. I asked him a couple years ago why he doesn’t write everything he has learning from his gardening experiences and share it, I was thinking more in me. I really wanted to know what he knew about the garden. The first thing that came out of his mouth was but Ben, every year I learn something new. My grandpa never stopped learning, not just in the garden but in life. Later on in life I saw him delve in the scriptures more than any other book but he always had a book trying to learn something new. My grandpa was a constant learner.

Thanks so much grandpa for the great lessons and great times you provided me during your time here on earth. I will miss you and can’t wait to see you again together with grandma!

Love you and miss you.

What are some things your grandparents taught you? Let me know in the comments or DM me I would love to know.