Today we will celebrate our grandpa. He turned 90 on April 19th.
He was born in 1928, which was the first year that Mickey Mouse appeared in an animated short film. It was the year that sliced bread was invented, and it was called, “the best thing since bagged bread”. Life expectancy in 1928 was 55.6 years old for males, and 58.3 years old for females.
Yet, here we are, celebrating this vibrant and steadfast man. Who is 90 years old.
You know, there will always be things to complain about. We could complain that my grandpa lost our grandma way too early when she lost her battle with cancer 27 years ago. We could complain about my grandpa losing his daughter six years ago. My siblings and I could bemoan the fact that he is our last living grandparent. We could, and you would understand.
But, just as there are always things to complain about, there are always things to celebrate. We just have to decide what we want to look for. Today, our hearts will fill with joy because we get to celebrate our grandpa. We will be grateful for the love in our lives, and for each other. For life is simply too short and too precious to look for what we don’t have or for what we have lost. Our time is much better spent being so very thankful for what we have today. Even after living for more than 90 years, I bet grandpa would agree.
Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet. -Sarah Louise Delany
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