Gone But Not Forgotten
The other thing I was really thinking about tonight, as I was trying to fall asleep; I realize I’m so much like my father. And my father is so much like my grandfather. I’m part of a legacy.
My grandfather passed away a few months back, but I never really grieved his passing. I got sad when I saw all my family and those I love crying, but there is a strange calm about me whenever I think about Grandpa Sy. He was able to see me graduate from Morehouse College last May, and he told me how proud he was of me. He reminded me of the lessons my father had taught me, and helped me feel that much more confident about striking out on my own. I never felt like I regretted anything about our relationship, and perhaps that is why his death was easy for me to handle (and that’s not a shot at anyone… we all handled his passing differently, and the reasons behind that are personal to each individual). That, and the fact that he continues to live through his children and grandchildren.
In an almost cliché way, Grandpa Sy’s death was much like the movie Soul Food, bringing the family that much closer. Although all of our roots tie back to Des Moines, Iowa, most of the Forrester clan has moved away, some of us even halfway around the world. But thanks to social networking sites like Facebook, everyone can (and for the most part does), keep in touch, checking in on each other more than we did before. Even though we can’t all be in the same place, at the very least, we have a better idea of what’s going on in everyone’s lives (baby steps lol).
I feel like I’m starting to ramble (its 2:11 AM) , but I just wanted to give thanks to God for giving me such a wonderful family, and special thanks for giving us Grandpa Sy, someone who has really has had a profound influence in making me the person I am today, both directly and indirectly.
