I'm embarrassed to say that my second thought was one of relief when my mother called to say he had died. It had only been a short time, but I could never bear to see someone in pain or the thought of a machine stopping them from going to a better place. After all of her children and some extended family members had shown up and said their goodbyes, it was finally over. In recent years his health had been extraordinary. He always seemed in great health, one minute he was out on the ranch helping out and the next minute he was in his khakis and pinned polo on the golf course hoping for that hole in one. That Tuesday afternoon I called my family to see if I had to make the 13-hour, puddle-jumping flight across the country for the funeral. Having the satisfaction of being there to help comfort the rest of the family made it worth dealing with all the congestion at the airport while others frantically made their way through the crowds to get to the next flight. Only about five years later I was graduating. school and enlisted in the United States Navy. As someone who had previously served in the Navy during post-World War II, he seemed to be one of the most proud and honored to see me in the traditional blue uniform that still stands strong in the naval ranks today. I remember at my older brother's wedding him shaking my hand with his calloused hand, strong but dry, and greeting me the first time I came home after giving up my life for the next four years. He was someone who truly made me feel proud to serve in the greatest military on this planet. I remember when I was a kid working in the shop with my great uncle... middle of paper... .. I finally reflect on the person I was before and leave the last days behind me. This was the man who grew up with two older brothers and a workaholic father who forced the boys to take care of all the household chores and provide for their mother. and four other sisters when their father was out plowing the fields. He was the man who joined the Navy in hopes that his two older brothers could stay home and work on the rapidly growing farm. He was the man who raised money for the United Way every year. He was the man who not only showed and taught the twenty-five children of the three families a hard work ethic, but also played with them when he had the chance. He worked hard, made good money, and was a wonderful father, husband, grandfather, and uncle! And I finally realized how lucky I was to have him in my life..