See ya, Ace!

My grandfather died recently... my mom's dad... my Pappy... Nelson Hummel... Ace....

 We didn't spend a ton of time together... he didn't teach me to hunt, fish, or drink beer like he did... His life revolved around an entirely different set of circumstances then mine does. He grew up poor... maybe a little rough around the edges.... He spent his free time outdoors in the wilderness... He raised a family... had a job.... lost his wife... retired.... survived diseases, heart problems, and old age until a few weeks ago when his body couldn't go any more... Now he's gone... That steady knowledge of him being there is no longer a reality.... His seat on his back porch, watching the animals he fed and the plants he grew, is empty... and so is a little part of me.... You can't change that someone has died... You can only grow from it... I've learned more from him in the past 2 weeks that I ever could have imagined. He lived to do the things he loved. To be in the wilderness to enjoy the small things. To read books just to know what they have to say. He took the time to stop and smell the roses, even though he could not smell.... He did what he wanted because he wanted to do it...his reward was that he was doing it....no fame... no fortune...no internet postings... no cameras other then his own for his own reflection.... he did it... to do it....right up till the end.... I think he died a happy man because of it.... A great Family... a lot of dead animals... a lot of empty beer cans... a lot of dog eared books... but most importantly a lot of great experiences and memories...
 See ya, Ace!

  "Our death is not an end if we can live on in our children and the younger generation. For they are us, our bodies are only wilted leaves on the tree of life." ~Albert Einstein