Silent Exit

I received a phone call yesterday right before I was about to take my son to see a movie. It was my mother and it was Sunday. I imagined she was lonely and was going to ask me to come visit her. I was wrong.

It isn't like what she was about to tell me should be that big of a surprise but when death happens whether it be expected or not it is always a shock. She delivered the news that my grandfather past away on Saturday. He suffered declining health from a recent fall and essentially lost his will to continue living. He was older and had outlived 3 wives and his only 2 sons (my father being one of them). He had quite the life and the stories to go with it. It is hard to feel sad that he left this world, simply because he can now be with the majority of his family again on the other side. I actually feel more mourning and sympathetic feelings towards my Aunt who will no doubt be the last person to bury every single one of her family members. I honor her for that and the strength she carries to move forward with this process of a very big burden on her heart and soul.

My grandfather served his life and career in the military, he was a B 17 bombardier and fought in WWII bringing with him the physical and mental wounds from his missions. He flirted with death so many times and in the end, he really was the winner. Living a long life... I shamefully did not know my grandfather or the full length of his stories and life. I learned the majority of these stories through my own father, who admired his dad and gave him a tribute to his many years in the service and accomplishments. My father made a website to tribute his dad and his 50 missions. This website is still up, unknown how much longer it will be though. www.50missions.net.

I think sometimes how so many people do so many great things in their lifetime, most of them humble about their charities and accomplishments and then they take a small bow and silently exit this earth without few people knowing what a great person they were. Even I feel as though I did not take full advantage of the awesome man that was my grandfather. And sadly like so many others, it is to late to start.