Material Things

     I haven't written a blog in a couple of months but in this time I have been doing a lot of learning. On May 22nd, I lost my grandfather. He was the only grandfather I knew. He was camping, which is his number one passion these days. This is how I am choosing to remember him.
     From the time I was 6 months old, my parents would go camping every single year, the same week and to our favorite State Park. It is on a beautiful, spring-fed lake, where the loons are out first thing in the morning to wake you, along with the boats, headed out to get an early morning catch. It's where every kid in the park gets to know each other and all play together from morning to night. Where at 4pm. was "happy hour" (but not a big drunk), after dinner the adults walk the circle of the park & where even after dark, the kids are still together and there is ONE big campfire, everyone who wants to come. Bring with chair or we probably have one for ya. Same stories are told year after year. My dad and my grandfather had to deal with an overturned bait truck when they were on the sheriff's department and my dad and his cousin tricked my mom and my cousins wife about a bear chasing them (favorite story EVER). Lastly, it's where I would lay on the ground by the fire at night, staring at the stars. And where the loons would sing a lonesome cry to put us to sleep at night.
     My grandfather was ALWAYS there and a part of it all. If we went to the store, he would give my sister and I some money to get some gummy bears or playing cards as a BIG group, or renting an extra canoe so.my parents could take my sister and I out fishing altogether (since we had one) - was a part of our days. He always wore his fishing hat. Didn't matter if the sun was shining, it was raining or if he was out fishing transmitting at the campfire.
     So when he had a massive heart attack and passed away, he was buried with that damn hat. He was never without it and he never shall. Unfortunately, my grandfather has two daughters. My mom and my aunt. His possessions are all a big fight. Add in his 3rd wife...it's truly an unpleasant situation!  It is about material items. Who gets what and did this one get something equal to that? Why does everything have to be a fight? While the family treats his death as a material war, I'm choosing to remember the camping.
     Material items are not worth it. Camping, like the song of the LOON lulling me to sleep.

~~alleedreams~~