Day 10 of the 30 Day Challenge

Day #10: Post your favorite quote.

My favorite quote isn't by a famous philosopher, a celebrity, or an author. My favorite quote is by my grandfather Laurence Spargo. The quote is "Will the frost hurt the rhubarb?" To some this may be weird but to me it means a great deal. This is something special my grandpa used to say all the time and it will forever stay with me.

My grandpa was an amazing man. He had so much love inside him and his family meant the world to him. I couldn't imagine ever having any other grandpa. He always had an opinion and an answer for things. Its like his wisdom never failed. He would do anything he could to help family and you knew you could always count on him. He had some things that made him upset. Like using the telephone to much and using computers. He never understood computers very well lol. It drove him crazy.

There are some things that will always remind me of my grandpa. My grandpa used to jingle the change in his pocket. I remember that sound like he was standing next to me doing it now. He used to sit in his recliner, which is all he ever sat in, and would rub the arm of the recliner. I'm not sure he even knew he was doing it or if it was just out of habit. He use to walk up to me with such a serious look on his face and tell me he had a question. I immediately thought I was in trouble lol. He would always ask me the same thing though..."Will the frost will hurt the rhubarb?" I would just smile and the answer depended on the day.  He would just smile back. The one thing that I could never ever forget is the love he had for my grandma. He loved her so much. It was like that love you always want. That unconditional, last a lifetime love. You could just see the love he had for her when he looked at her or talked about her. It was the kind of love I hoped one day I would find.

 
Here they are together at his 90th birthday party. I love these two pictures. The way he is looking at her and how happy they are together.

 

My grandpa passed away in February of 2012. He was 91 when he passed and he lived a long, loved and happy life. He had dementia and it really took a toll on him. He went downhill fairly quickly and its still kind of hard to believe. My grandfather wore his age so well for a long time. Then it was like all of the sudden his age caught up to him. Things started slowly like him no longer being able to drive. Then he started having other problems. His breathing due to COPD, his memory, his mobility. It was like once it started it wouldn't stop. My grandpa got put on hospice when he stopped eating and his dementia just took over. He didn't remember anybody very well and to be totally honest it was heartbreaking. Watching my grandpa go through that and not being able to help him was one of the hardest things I have ever been through.

The reason this quote is my favorite is because it was one of the last things I said to my grandpa and knew he remembered me. I stood at the end of his bed and told him "Grandpa I have a question for you.". He just looked at me. "Grandpa, do you think the frost will hurt the rhubarb?" He smiled so big at me and I knew he knew what I meant. It was one of those moments that I needed at that time. Just one moment of clarity to know that my Grandpa knew who I was and how much I loved him.

Words can not express how much I miss my Grandpa. I miss him everyday. He was such an amazing man to me and my family and I will always remember that. I know that he is with me and always looking down on me and that is comforting. They say that time heals the pain but I don't agree with that. I think that over time you just learn to deal with the pain. I love you Grandpa and miss you so very very much. I just have one thing to ask you. Will the frost hurt the rhubarb?