It's All About The Small Things

Grandpa Dick Gholson was buried today in a plaid shirt with suspenders. It was perfect.

And it sure feels like he's already pulling strings from above. As we left Grandma's house to go to the hotel, right at about midnight, the roads were COVERED. The snow has been coming down on and off since last night. And by tonight, it is just nasty road-wise. We were just pulling out of the neighborhood, and a semi was sitting on the hill... the man driving was waving his arms out the window. We barely saw him, and stopped after we had passed... well... and slid a little as we stopped.
James got out of the car to see what he needed.

He was lost and had no idea how to find where he was going. We didn't know either, but James took the time to look up the address on his phone, and after a while, they both got it figured out. They even figured out the best way for him to turn around and get back going the right direction.

It would have been easy to say, "Sorry man. We're not from here. We have no idea where that is." The snow was pouring, it was pitch black, and we were ready to get back to the hotel.

But Grandpa would have NEVER left him sitting there. Grandpa was always the first to help. Talk about a man with a strong sense of community. It's something that we could all use more of in our lives. If there was a chance to help out a friend, a neighbor, or a stranger, he was the first in line. He probably would have even cleared a path for the trucker... knowing him.

Even though that is a very small thing... it wasn't a big deal at all... it was very powerful to already have an opportunity to carry on his legacy the same day he was buried, immediately as we left Grandma's. And the fact that it was a small thing - well he's a man that understood that life is ALL ABOUT the small things.

There have been so many moments that have happened since he passed that have felt like he had a hand in. And even the way he has been acting the last few months as we all look back on our last conversations with him. It's like he knew. And whether he was just preparing because of the surgery or he actually had a sense of his time on earth being finished... who knows. But he certainly spent a lot of time and energy the last few months making sure he had all his loose were ends tied up.

We all love him so much. And the stories and poems and letters that his children, grandchildren, and friends shared today were just perfect. He was so loved and he loved so much. What a beautiful family he has raised and grandfathered and great grandfathered.

Today he was buried with the SOIL... NOT DIRT... THE SOIL from his own farm.

Peace. Love. Fiddle.
~natalie