I Wonder if You Knew

I wonder if you knew how much I’d learn from you? From a little girl to a grown woman I watched you carefully. You took great care in each day to do what needed to be done. I watched as you did all your work. You made it look effortless.

In the summer till the fall you would come home from work and mow a few acres of grass. When it rained you would be out digging ditches and clearing out brush that would get into the drains. In the winter you would plow and shovel snow. It seemed your work was never done.

Grandma and I would often stop down at your workshop. You would be working on tractors and maintaining all your machines, but when it was time for dinner you would get cleaned up and be ready to eat.

When I stayed over you would put me to work in the fields or the ditches and occasionally on a roof that needed tarred. In the evenings we would rest and play cards or put a puzzle together.

And in my late teens when I needed a place to stay you and Grandma took me in. Even in your retired years you kept at your routines. I would watch you work all day, come in for dinner, sometimes we went out, but you were always the same funny, happy, determined man I had always known.

Now, long after you are gone I still find myself looking to you. As a mother and wife I remember your hard work, dedication to your family, and the value you placed of taking care of what you had. This world tries to distract me from the important things in life, but when I think about how my grandfather lived his, I remember what is important.

I am grateful for all the lessons you lived out for me to observe. I learned routine, responsibility, dedication, and care from you. It is sad to me that I can no longer ask you questions or watch your examples and if you were still here I’d inquire if you knew how much I’d learn from you?