Life.

Looking back in life there are people who stand out among the rest. They are the people you could truly count on and nothing compared to the way they touched your life. When there was no one else to count on they were there for you.They may have been the strong, driven, disciplinarian like my maternal grandfather. He was always there to guide, scold and teach me about life and how to be a respectable person. Maybe they were gentle, kind and doting like my maternal grandmother, who taught me to play the piano. She showed me that unconditional love does exist and how it has keen loving patience. Perhaps they were like my paternal grandparents, silent and watchful, never passing judgment on your actions. They were always glad to have you into their lives yet they never wanted to force their way into yours. They taught me the ability to truly listen and not merely wait for the chance to speak. They showed me that no matter how far you roam, home is home, and thats how it is. Period. In the last few years my maternal grandfather, Cecil, and my paternal grandmother, Lorene, have passed away. My maternal grandmother, Irene, had a stroke many years back and is no longer the woman I remember in my youth. I love her so much, but she has become a shell of the wonderful woman I knew. She does not appear to know who I am or where she is, yet she still plays the piano with great intensity. My paternal grandfather, Charles has lived a strong and healthy life for as long as I can remember. Sure he had his problems, we all do, but he has always been active and strong. About a month ago he had a heart attack and has been in the hospital ever since. He has been fighting so hard to stay here with us. In the last couple of weeks he was moved out of ICU and considered to be more stable and maybe even on the road toward going home. Yet, life deals its cards and a few nights ago he had another attack and is once again back in ICU. He is in an induced coma and due to his lack of mental capacity my family has come to the hardest decision that a family can be forced to make, he is Do Not Resuscitate/ No Heroic Measures. This is the way he would want it, he would not want to be hooked up on tubes and wires to stay alive. Every time the phone rings I jump is this it? I dont know what to think. Its not hopeless, but its hard to hold on to hope. I will merely look at the good times that I am grateful for and pray. They would sneak you a Coke and M&Ms when your parents werent looking. They went to the flea market with you and would slip you those few extra dollars you needed for whatever it was you wanted. They gave you a dollar every Sunday like clockwork. They made the best Thanksgiving meals ever, and made sure you got the largest piece of fatback. They were there to take you fishing early in the morning. They taught you how to fish, and did not yell at you when you hooked their ear.