My Grandpa's Book
I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as kids. There were several times in my childhood that we lived under the same roof. These were the best memories. Our house was always clean, always smelled like baking bread and there was peace. I talk about my grandma a lot. Its common knowledge that she is the single most influential person of my life. I realized I haven't mentioned my grandpa. Its not that he was not incredibly important but more that he was a man of few words. However, when he spoke you listened.
There were three rules in my grandpa's home. 1) Don't give the dog candy. 2) We are silent when the news is on and the third and most important rule was NEVER touch grandpas black book. It always sat in the same place. On the table in the living room right next to his recliner. It was small, and had a leather cover. It was worn and old. Just not being able to touch it made it interesting. After dinner and the news every night, he sat in that recliner under the light of the table lamp and read his special book. I would find myself watching him, wondering what was in that book. It was the longest story in history. For years he read the same book! What I didn't realize until years later was that book was his bible. It wasn't just any book.
My grandfather was never a talker, more of a do-er. He taught me how to fish and took me camping but I can only remember vividly two conversations in my life. The first was him asking my mom if I had "worms" because I just absolutely incapable of sitting still. I giggle when I think about it now. Its still true today. Turns out it wasn't worms. It is AD/HD and I wasn't formally diagnosed until adulthood. Smart guy.
The next conversation took place in my teens and it is easily the most profound piece of information I ever learned. I was sitting on the stool next to his chair and he was getting ready to pick up his bible and I asked him how many times hes read the bible front to back. He said he didn't know for sure, man. (Now here comes the AH-HA moment...)
He said "Ive read this bible so many times but every time I read it, It has a different message."
And of course at the time I just thought he was weird. How can the exact same words mean something different? Its the same book, the same verses...
But now I get it. We can only comprehend lessons based on our current knowledge and life experience. When we become more wise to the world and live the text does change. And, although it was just this average ordinary (and a bit odd at that time.) comment he made, now that I am older and wiser and able to take it in that means so much now. As we grow in life our perspective changes. When our perspective changes so does what we are able to take away from everything we experience.
These words compelled me to look back on life lessons I thought I mastered with the perspective I have now and its as if I learned something brand new. Its a deeper more complex understanding. Who knew that old man was going to change my life with one conversation. I surely didn't but how I appreciate that today.
I learned mostly that I may not understand something now but I wont forget it because chances are whatever happened was for a reason and I am not supposed to get it yet. I am just supposed to put it in my "pocket" because some day it will all be clear. Thanks, Grandpa!
He died when I was in my early 20s and the strangest thing happened a few years before he passed. I guess he finally finished that book because he became a Jehovah's Witness out of the blue. He traded in his bible for a new perspective. I never did learn what made him change faiths. I only regret not asking for that bible after he passed away.
There were three rules in my grandpa's home. 1) Don't give the dog candy. 2) We are silent when the news is on and the third and most important rule was NEVER touch grandpas black book. It always sat in the same place. On the table in the living room right next to his recliner. It was small, and had a leather cover. It was worn and old. Just not being able to touch it made it interesting. After dinner and the news every night, he sat in that recliner under the light of the table lamp and read his special book. I would find myself watching him, wondering what was in that book. It was the longest story in history. For years he read the same book! What I didn't realize until years later was that book was his bible. It wasn't just any book.
My grandfather was never a talker, more of a do-er. He taught me how to fish and took me camping but I can only remember vividly two conversations in my life. The first was him asking my mom if I had "worms" because I just absolutely incapable of sitting still. I giggle when I think about it now. Its still true today. Turns out it wasn't worms. It is AD/HD and I wasn't formally diagnosed until adulthood. Smart guy.
The next conversation took place in my teens and it is easily the most profound piece of information I ever learned. I was sitting on the stool next to his chair and he was getting ready to pick up his bible and I asked him how many times hes read the bible front to back. He said he didn't know for sure, man. (Now here comes the AH-HA moment...)
He said "Ive read this bible so many times but every time I read it, It has a different message."
And of course at the time I just thought he was weird. How can the exact same words mean something different? Its the same book, the same verses...
But now I get it. We can only comprehend lessons based on our current knowledge and life experience. When we become more wise to the world and live the text does change. And, although it was just this average ordinary (and a bit odd at that time.) comment he made, now that I am older and wiser and able to take it in that means so much now. As we grow in life our perspective changes. When our perspective changes so does what we are able to take away from everything we experience.
These words compelled me to look back on life lessons I thought I mastered with the perspective I have now and its as if I learned something brand new. Its a deeper more complex understanding. Who knew that old man was going to change my life with one conversation. I surely didn't but how I appreciate that today.
I learned mostly that I may not understand something now but I wont forget it because chances are whatever happened was for a reason and I am not supposed to get it yet. I am just supposed to put it in my "pocket" because some day it will all be clear. Thanks, Grandpa!
He died when I was in my early 20s and the strangest thing happened a few years before he passed. I guess he finally finished that book because he became a Jehovah's Witness out of the blue. He traded in his bible for a new perspective. I never did learn what made him change faiths. I only regret not asking for that bible after he passed away.
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