A few weeks ago I spent a Sunday afternoon with a group of four siblings and some of their spouses and children. The gathering was in memory of another sibling, who died early last year.
Two months after the man died, his first grandchild was born. His siblings gathered now to tell stories about the man's growing-up years so I could put them into a short story for his granddaughter.
I learned about his love of tractors from a young age.
I learned how before he graduated from high school, his mother, father and stepmother all died.
I learned how he met my cousin, who would become his wife.
As much as I enjoyed that afternoon of storytelling, I hope his granddaughter enjoys learning about her papaw as she grows up. It is my hope that she recognizes some of her grandfather's traits in herself and feels a sense of belonging because of them. I know these stories will help instill in her a sense of pride of this man whom she never met.