Memories.
My mother called this morning to let me know that my grandfather passed away last night at 11:30pm.
Rest peacefully, I love you.
Hubert Hughes
June 19th, 1921 - November 9th, 2004
I remember when I was little we would take vacations to see my Aunt in Missouri. Depending on the weather and the time we left (as we were driving), we would get there sometimes at strange hours of the morning. But I always remembered that no matter what time we got in, even if it was 3am, everyone was still up waiting and was so happy to see my family when we would arrive. I think heaven is like that. I think everyone you love is so excited to see you and welcome you home, that when you get there it's like a big warm party.
My Grandfather and I were close. For the first 6 months after his wife put him in the nursing home, I would go see him everyday. Without fail I would be there, no matter the weather or what I had going on, I would come to help him eat or get him ready for bed. I just couldn't imagine how such an amazing man ended up in such an unamazing place. He spent the next three years in nursing homes and I tried to go see him when I could, but I wish I could have been there everyday with him for the whole three years. When he was still able to function on his own, if you ever wondered where he was or what he was doing, all you had to do was show up at his church, he was there. Mowing the lawn, making shelves for the Sunday school rooms, doing whatever he could. That was where he was the happiest. I think maybe now he is in heaven mowing the lawn or teaching Sunday school, or being happy that he can walk and talk again. I hope at the end of my life I am as good of a person as my grandfather was. I am sure one day I will see him again when he welcomes me home at the end of my days.