Today my Poppa would have been 100 years old
LMents of Style uses affiliate links. By clicking on certain hyperlinks and buying a product, you may help me make a small commission from your purchase. It's links like these that keep this site going. Thank you for your support!
Today my Poppa would have been 100 years old.
Born in Gober, TX on July 6, 1920, he lived a full life of 80+ years. He was a teacher for almost 30 years in the same district in which I later attended elementary through high school. A 32nd degree mason and member of the Hella Shrine Temple, he could fix anything and would make beautiful pieces out of rocks. I still put ketchup in my chili and on my navy beans because of him. He passed away on February 4, 2003. I was only 11.
Everlane Super-soft Summer Jean Coverall (c/o) | Veja Sneakers
I lost the bulk of my grandparents before I turned 12. That being said, i was privy to death before a lot of my friends were. Well as privy to death as someone can be at that age. And though it has been YEARS, I have only come to realize the full weight of that as of late. How well can you get to know someone when you are that young?
I think what bugs me so much is that I have a great memory (Nick says it is like a database), yet I have trouble thinking back that far. I remember peach picking in Arkansas with Grandmother and Grandaddy. Christmas at the capitol and jars of Christmas candy. āYouāre Only Old Onceā by Dr. Seuss and Easter egg + their meanings. I remember Sunday afternoon pot roasts with Poppa. Thanksgiving trips and driving around Costa Rica with a bunch of oxygen tanks. I guess what counts is that I remember love, but it is hard for me to recount personalities. I so wish I remembered full personalities and not just parts. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of my Granna, as she passed when I was barely 1.5 years old.
My Poppa next to his Ford Pinto Station Wagon circa 1975
One might argue that it was less pain for me they went so soonā¦ that I didnāt really even know what I was missing; however, it is that very thought that haunts me now. What wisdom could I have gained if I had extra years with them? What extra memories would I fully be able to recall and cherish? I think this is why I find Dia de los Muertos so beautifulā¦ it is the act of actively remembering those who have passed before us. Recalling memories and speaking their names to keep them alive in our hearts. One of my favorite ways to remember them is through āthings. ā I have a stool that my Poppa made me that I use almost every day. I have some of my Grandmotherās jewelry that I wear regularly. I have a pack of my Grandaddyās cigarettes, a favorite flannel and some of his deer antlers. I also have a box of letters where I keep hand written notes and memorabilia. I recently went through them before we moved and it was nice to have tangible evidence of love and life.
The passing of birth dates and death dates are not a new thing for me, though they have begun to hit me differently. Perhaps it is that Iām older now. I turn 29 next month and am a hop, skip, and a jump away from 30. Perhaps it is that I have so many friends who have lost both parents and children too soon. If anything, experiencing death so young has led me to be more sensitive to others and their situations, and for that I am very thankful. My Poppa lived a wonderful 82 years, yet here I am wishing for 18 more. Life is too short. Be sure to live it fully and live it lovingly. Happy 100th birthday, Poppa. I know youāre celebrating with Granna today!
P.S. I hope you liked my photo inspo today. When I saw these coveralls I immediately thought of him. He would have loved them!
āO death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.ā
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
Click here to subscribe to my weekly newsletter. I recap the week and share recent posts you might have missed!
