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Personal Narrative: Grampa

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I lay my pencil down for a short break and roll back from my desk. The chair’s wheels resist my efforts, slowly squeaking from the friction of my furry rug. I stretch back and my eyes become level with my window which overlooks my backyard, highlighting the beautiful day that I am missing. The parabolic arc of a football breaks my train of longing thoughts and I see my brother Luke dash from behind the garage. He is followed by my grandfather, who we call Dibbi, a name I created when I couldn’t pronounce Grampa. I become lost in the convex trajectory of the ball, tracking it’s path from hand to hand. After a couple of minutes the ball begins to find its way to the recently cut grass. Luke wipes the clippings off the ball and continues to throw …show more content…

Over this period we lost most of what my family refers to as the “generation of greats”. In the span of a few months like a terrible chain reaction my grandfather, great uncle and two of my great aunts passed away. Recently, our celebrations of Christmas and Easter have had a somber undertone arising from the unfamiliar absence of our loved ones. I am thankful for this solemn tone. It reminds us to remember our family members who have passed away. Paradoxically, these reunions have also been a happy time. A time filled with story telling, laughing and a nostalgic longing for the “good old days” that I never was a part of. Though these tragedies have hacked at the roots of our family tree, we are growing back stronger and more tight-knit than before. …show more content…

Though uncle Anthony died in his late sixties it felt like we were losing a child. Uncle Anthony was diagnosed with down syndrome when he was just a little boy. Anthony was the life of the family. His childish obsession with horses and cowboys movies was almost as entertaining as his gleeful laughing attacks. His shelves were filled with replica horses which he would gallop around house making a “Clip, Clop” sound with his tongue. At my grandparents house he was the crazy older child, leading a pack of youngsters, their arms outstretched screaming “Weeeee”. His goofy and lighthearted view of life brought smiles to everyone’s faces. When my uncle Anthony got older, his condition worsened and he had to be moved to a special caring facility. Anthony kept his spirit up, cracking his characteristically witty jokes. With his kind, cheerful and outgoing demeanor uncle Anthony brightened so many people’s lives. 1:00 I’m not recounting my family’s misfortunes to earn sympathy, rather I’m revealing this so I can explain how I continue their legacies as a way of honoring their passing. For Giddo I strive to be the caring man he was, devoting my life to my family and helping anyone in need. I try to put others first and his incredible story inspires me to work hard and overcome adversity. For my auntie Edna I support my friends through their hard times and I try to match her hospitality. For uncle Anthony I live

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