Hello, dear reader. Its Joe’s friend from the West again, who hasn’t written a blog in nearly a year.
Thank you for welcoming me back with open arms; it’s good to be here again! I’m brushing off my
blogging chops, because I’m approaching the one-year anniversary of a personal event that has caused me a considerable amount of reflection, and something I wanted to share with the masses on some medium...so thought I’d take this up with the editor in chief and get it out there.
About a year ago, I lost my grandpa. Behind my dad, he was the man I respected most in my life. He set an example of what it is to work hard, love and support his family, and care for everything from his grandkids to a newborn calf born on a cold night in February. He didn’t teach by telling, he taught by doing. My grandpa instructed me on things like how to drive a tractor, how to rake hay, and how to build fence; but never implicitly taught me how to listen, how to work from dawn till dusk, or how to embrace someone to know that they are cared for – he simply exuded that in the way that he lived.
Learning through that example is easy. Living it can be another thing altogether.
Following his passing, it was easy to see how loved and respected he was by his family and community. The endless flow of people at his wake praising his character and the man that he was brought this to clear light. But at no point in my grandpa’s life did he wake up and say, “I’m going to be a good, respectable man today.” It’s simply the way he lived his life.
It’s unfortunate that sometimes it takes losing someone to make these realizations. I’d like to think that I do my best to emulate my grandfather in my interactions with people. I’d like to think that I’ll be as warm and caring for my children and grandchildren the way he was with me, my siblings and cousins. I hope that I could do all this without any conscious effort, the way it came so naturally to him. But that can be a difficult task day in and day out, and even more so now that he’s passed on.
However, even without him here anymore, he’ll remain an example of the best in human nature and a guide for me as I move forward in my life. I say this because I wasn’t always that good on reflecting on what I have now until it was gone. Even though in my heart of hearts I knew everything I just wrote before my grandpa passed, it’s important to take stock of the people in your life.
Giving appreciation to the people who help mold who you are isn’t always top of mind when those people are still here in the present. But it’s the first thing you think about when they aren’t around. Knowing who those people are and how they shape your character can be invaluable as you continue to progress through life. Take advantage of it while you can.
New in my life: its darn near porch beer season, science is a real bitch, do not hesitate to ask for the
things you want.
Travis Arp is a world traveler and meat mastermind. When he's not strolling the streets of Shanghi, he enjoys a crafty beer in the mountains outside of Denver. Find him on the insta @drtarp
Keep smilin'
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