My Happy Place

On June 23, 2018 I was getting ready for my graduation party. It was around 2 or 3 in the afternoon and my party started at 6. But my sweet grandpa had already made his way over.

I greeted him outside and he hugged and congratulated me. We walked around my yard because he just loved being outside and we had added a new fire pit and hammock in the trees at the front of our house since the last time he visited. He absolutely loved it and instantly made himself comfortable and started giving my younger sister a lesson about the different trees in my yard and what they were called and what their wood was like (he loves wood and trees and telling everyone about them). He then took a break from talking about the trees and wood and said with a genuine smile that radiated pure happiness, "ahh yep, this is my happy place."

A little bit later everyone had come inside expect for my grandpa. This wasn't surprising though because he loved being outdoors more than anything. I was upstairs in my room getting ready for the party to start. I looked out my window that faced my backyard and saw my grandpa sitting on the porch of my sister's play house looking around at the trees and the sky. I couldn't help but smile at how beautiful and pure it was. I could see how much he truly loved life in that moment.

When my sweet grandpa passed away a few weeks ago many memories of him played through my mind over and over, but this one stays with me the most. I thought about he called the outdoors his happy place and how I could see that he truly meant it. I have always loved the outdoors as well and now have an even greater appreciation for the peace and beauty found within nature thanks to my grandpa.

While my family and I were celebrating my grandpa and his amazing life I learned so many wonderful things about him and his past and heard many heart warming stories about him and just how much he truly cared about the people he loved.

During the difficult first two weeks of him passing I experienced an array of emotions ranging from complete devastation to overwhelming bursts of peace and happiness at the glorious life he lived. I started to look at my life differently and it quickly changed.

I realized the importance of having a strong sense of yourself and to follow that always. The importance of family and friends and love and appreciation for life. I have felt an overwhelming need to share these realizations in hopes that other people can live a complete and peaceful life as well. So I decided to start this blog in honor of my grandpa and the beautiful life he lived that touched the lives of so many people in hopes I can do the same.

Enjoy!