Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Legacy

I can't believe 6 years have passed since I stood there, aware of the baby girl spinning in my belly, a hand on each of my small boys, watching my husband try and speak at his father's memorial service.

6 years.

"Did Grandpa Spike know me?" She asks quizzically, every now and then.

"He knew you were coming," we tell her, "and he was excited to meet you."

Instead she knows him through pictures, stories, tall tales told by friends and family. She knows him through us, each memory carefully crafted to depict the man he was, the man she will never really know like we did.

"He was an outdoorsman," we say, "and he died doing what he loved best - hiking and camping."

We explore the camping gear he has left for us, methodically, purposefully, inspecting each item with care and consideration. His tents. His gear. His photos that he can't tell us about. His music. His books. His life. We continue to toast, to honor, to include him in our daily lives, even though we know he is far from us now. We try to hold on, it is what we do.

Every time one of our children does something we think he would enjoy, we share a knowing glance and wish that he was still here.

Every time their curiosity in the natural world rears itself, whether we're camping or on a hike or just walking down the sidewalk, we understand where this love of the outdoors comes from, and we do everything we can to not let it disappear, as he has.

Every year, my husband and his brother hike to an alpine lake high in the Cascades where some of their father's ashes are laid to rest. They take solace in knowing he is here, someplace beautiful, someplace he loved. They do it for him. Every year.

This time, our oldest will accompany them.

He's been more than ready for this for years now, physically and emotionally. He is the one, out of our 3 children, with the most memories of Grandpa Spike. He is the one who holds on to many of his belongings. Treasures, he calls them. He is fearless, adventurous, intelligent and curious. He is most like his grandpa. Most.

I know a mother should be worried, sending her baby into the wild...

But I'm not.

I've known for a long time, long before my father in law passed away, that he possessed the personality well-suited for a life of adventure. Maybe it was the way he played with his Rescue Heroes, or the way he made forts in the back yard. Maybe it was the fact that he always had a bag packed with emergency items, just in case, you know - a few granola bars, bottles of water, homemade first aid kit, flashlight, batteries, radio...things you would need, things that made sense. Maybe it was his interest in being a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, and his intense like of the movie The Guardian, which is still what he will tell you he wants to be when he "grows up."

I know, I should be terrified.

But he is not at all like me. Not at all. Sure there may be some things which tie us together, little wisps that remind me he is my son (like how he is a fast reader). But for the most part, he is a puzzle to me. His mind far comprehends concepts well beyond those I ever could. His problem solving capabilities impressing me more and more to the point that I've caught myself (much to my delight) asking him the answers to questions that perplex me. He is brilliant, and it could be the combination of having grandfathers on both sides who understand mechanics and how things work, but it is most definitely not something I gave him.

He is his father's son, and his grandfather's grandson.

And he is ready.


13 comments:

Carrie said...

You write such beautiful posts- it sounds like your father-in-law was a great man. Hope everyone has a great time on the trip!

Jaimie said...

Great post Carrie! You have me tearing up over here!

Ashley said...

Very nicely done!

This is a bit similar to my MIL, she passed while I was pregnant with Sugarbaby. We miss her dearly.

CollegeNannies said...

That's such a wonderful post, Carrie! It's so wonderful that your father-in-law's legacy can live on with your kids and they can continue to do the things he loved to do!

Kerrie said...

I love this post. Happy trails to your boys!

Kyla said...

Beautiful post. I hope they have a wonderful time.

Becky at lifeoutoffocus said...

that was a sweet post. i know he'll have fun camping!

Amanda said...

Oof!

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

What a beautiful post--and I feel so connected to you by it.

I spent Saturday at an alpine lake in the Sierras where last year we scattered the ashes of my best friend's husband and Tuesday morning I said goodbye to my oldest boy as he left to backpack through Yosemite.

Megan Oltman said...

Hi Carrie - What a lovely post! It's great that your son gets to go experience his grandfather's legacy this way. I could really relate to you post - both my in-laws died within 4 1/2 months of my son's birth, and my daughter, who was 4 when they died, barley remembers them. Like you, we keep them alive with stories and family keepsakes. To take a trip to somewhere special to them would be a wonderful thing to do.

So glad to have found your blog - thanks for coming over to visit mine!

Kendra said...

So beautiful. My mother-in-law never knew her grandkids, and I wonder sometimes how that would have gone (she was quite mentally ill, so it's hard to say). I hardly knew her myself. My father-in-law lives in our house, though. And seeing my kids with them is an amazing experience. He's so wonderful with them, talking to them like they're intelligent people while still treating them like kids (and sneaking them chocolate).

I hope they can maintain that strong relationship as they all age--and remember him with such joy and respect when the time comes.

Angie McCullagh said...

Aw, how amazing. And you wrote this so beautifully, Carrie.

Unknown said...

Yep. You did it again. Chills!!! I don't know anyone who tells a story the way that you do. I can't wait to hear how "baby #1" did on his adventure.