Inspiration

Over the span of our lives we may run into a few people that inspire us or that we look up to.  These people aren't sports heroes or politicians, but people that over the course of many years, we have had the opportunity to get to know and understand.  These people impact our lives in ways that we may or may not understand  It may be something subtle and we may not realize the influence until many years later.  My Grandpa Hesse is one of those people.  My Grandpa died yesterday.

As I look back over the years at our relationship and how it evolved, I have many fond memories of the two of us.  On my visit this summer, I knew it would probably be the last time I saw him.  His health had been in steady decline for a few years now and he was having difficulty with many of the simplest things.  One thing that was never in decline was his curiosity.  Grandpa was always interested in what I had to say and the stories I had to tell about my adventures either abroad or in the States.  He and I exchanged "war" stories on almost every visit.

This summer I had the honor of introducing my son Kiran Virgil Hesse to his namesake.  They really hit it off, as best an old man and an infant can.  Grandpa also impressed Kaya with his workshop and all the tools he had.  In fact, he made such an impression on Kaya that later on in the summer when Kaya asked me to build him something that I was unable to build, he promptly said, "well, we can just have Great Grandpa Hesse build it!"

One of the things Grandpa instilled in me was an affinity for wood carving.  One of my earlier memories with Grandpa was when I carved a totem pole for him.  The piece had three characters and if you turned the pole upside down you would have three different people.  Over the years, I have carved two pieces for Grandpa.  He had one that I recently carved him on display in his workshop and the original piece was tucked behind some carving tools.  He was excited to find it and promptly hung it up next to the latter.  Both those items were inspired from what I had seen him do and things he had taught me.

I think the thing I will always remember and appreciate about Grandpa is his ability to create and make things.  He would take an idea or a concept and replicate it, but not in the way he saw it, but in his version.  Grandpa would alter things to be better.  One example of this is the carving knives he made.  Throughout the years, he has given me quite a few knives.  I pulled them out last night and I could see how he would experiment with the design.  It was easy for me to identify his earliest versions compared with his later models.  I have been and continue to be inspired by his creativity. 

On that last visit, I wanted to tell him, but I didn't, that he shouldn't be afraid to die because he would always be alive in what he has given me.  Through the way he inspired me to be more creative, to seek out how things work and to be curious.  He will always live through the things he built, carved and made throughout the years.  (There is always a good story behind everything he made.)  He will always be alive in name and in blood because I will tell my sons about what a wonderful Grandpa I had.  He was the perfect Grandpa.  We had the kind of relationship that I hope my sons will have with their Grandpas for many years to come.  I hope that my Dad and Sheela's Dad have an impact and a connection with Kaya and Kiran in a special way that I did with my Grandpa.

I am sad that I will not be there to lay him to rest, but I promise Grandpa, that I will come visit you next summer when I get back home.