Today is the first anniversary of my grandfather's death. It's a sad day. But it's also a beautiful day. I take solace in the fact that he is in heaven right now looking down on us. He's not struggling to breathe any longer.
My grandfather made the most out of life. He lived every day to the fullest. He believed that everyone had the same opportunities in this great country no matter your station at birth. My grandfather was 1 of 13 children. His father died when he was very young. Forced to leave school in the fifth grade to earn money for his family, he did odd jobs such as shining shoes, selling newspapers, etc. But he continued to teach himself things he should have been learning in school - how to read and write, math, etc. After working in the shipyards during WWII, he started a small business in his garage that came to be known as Barnett Millworks. Sixty-two years later, Barnett Millworks was employing 250 people and providing income to numerous families. His dream had been realized: To give back to the community and help others help themselves. Suffering from lung cancer due to asbestos exposure in the shipyards some 65 years earlier, he lived to see his 92nd birthday. He will be greatly missed by me and by all!
And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln
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