I received a (Hand written I might add) letter in the mail from my 83 year old grandfather a couple of weeks ago that literally had me laughing and crying all at the same time. He is the most intelligent loving man a grand-daughter could ever ask for and I am truly blessed to have known him my entire 27 years of existence. Here is my reply to his letter...Better bust out the Kleenex ya'll cause I take after that man when it comes to the power of words. I cried writing the dang thing. Enjoy...
Dearest Grandad, 6/9/2010
I am so sorry it has taken me forever to respond to the most WONDEFUL letter I think I have ever received from you. You never cease to amaze me with you wit and charm dear sir. I’ll admit that your letter made me bawl like a baby while laughing hysterically so anyone who manages to do that is pretty amazing in my book.
I was thinking about my friends and their relationships with their grandparents the other day and I have to say that I am the luckiest person in the entire world not only to have known both sets of g-rents but my great g-rents as well. Not a lot of people get the opportunity to do so. It has been such a wonderful experience for me growing up with such loving family extended or not. I am truly blessed from the Big Guy above that I have people like you and Nana in my life still…I can tell you that I fear the day when you guys leave this world b/c I have known no other world than the one you both have existed in my entire life. It scares me but I know that ultimately it’s going to happen whether I want it to or not and I just want to tell you that I love you so much. You have taught me valuable life lessons that will stay with me for the rest of my life and that I will pass on to my children someday.
You and Nana both have taught me the importance putting the Lord first, as well as keeping family and friends close to you at all times because you never know when they can be taken from you. You have also taught me the importance of educating yourself and those around you, you have given me a love of the arts and without you I would have never been introduced to the world of poetry and writing. It is a world I have come to know, love and cherish with all of my heart and soul and I owe all of that to you. I think the most important thing you and Nana have taught me is to always have faith in love. You two have a relationship that I dream of being able to have with someone someday. You give me faith that love is alive and will find me someday. For that, I will be eternally grateful to both of you and I will keep the hope alive in my heart that love fills it one day soon.
Most importantly of everything you taught me is the importance of sticking to my guns and not shying away from someone who has an opinion that differs from mine. You always allowed me to voice my opinion (even though we didn’t agree on some things…ok a lot of things haha) you always encouraged me to be myself. No matter if I was right or wrong you taught me the importance of being an individual and I will never ever lose that. I will carry that with me forever and always Grandad. You are one of the most important men in my life and you will forever have a special place in my heart.
I miss you terribly but I was informed that I will be seeing you this weekend and I look forward to our annual game of cribbage and dominoes!
Te quiero much y siempre mi abuelo!
Love you always and forever,
Rheagan Leigh
P.S. You referenced your deteriorating memory in your letter however, you still remember lotsa things...Things even I don't remember. So I am attaching a Pablo Neruda poem entitled "If you forget me" with this letter. I know you will enjoy it and I love you every single day.
If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda
I want you to know
one thing.
You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.
Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.
If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.
If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.
But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine.
