See you later.

Growing up, Grandpa was an idea. He was a person who we had to travel several hours to see, and Wisconsen was about the biggest area of land I could imagine, because it always took us forever to get through it. Eventually, my grandparents moved to Indiana. I wasn't sure how I would like that, I mean... They're my grandparents. But there they were, and it was ok. It was nice having them around. Then I hit my teen years. Hugs were rare, I love yous even moreso. One day they got hugs. I later found that it had been entirely unexpected and made both of my grandparents exceptionally happy. I decided that day that I should give more hugs.

I remember skipping share the fun to do his birthday. I remember being mad because Aaron still went and got there in plenty of time. I remember thinking that this could be Grandpa's last Christmas so Sarah and Aaron stayed home. I remember Grandpa going into the hospital and coming out. Not being able to walk, and then being ok. I remember giving lots more hugs.

Grandpa went to the hospital again in the falltime. Everyone freaked out and thought that he was going to die, but I thought that he would pull through, like he did last time. And he did. Or at least it looked that way. He was doing lots better. He was getting more hugs, and a lot more I love yous for the simple reason that I wasn't sure he was going to pull through. I just thought it. I wanted to treat every meeting as if it were the last. The last time I saw him was Sunday, November 25^th. We stopped by after church to say hi, and I tried to fix this battery powered candle thing. I couldn't, but Dad did and it made Grandma and Papa happy. It was that day that Rachael and I really wanted pizza... So we asked, and they let us leave to get some. We left with a “see you later!” and got our pizza.

It would seem that I would be upset that there wasn't a hug, or an “I love you.” That we left him because we wanted pizza. But I'm really not. We left him with a “see you later!” Didn't say how much later. I'll see him later. I'll miss him a lot, but I'll see him again. Later. I didn't realize until just now the significance of those three words. They aren't the ones that people would normally want to be the last ones to a person, to their hero, but I'm happy with them. They're great last words.

So when someone says “It only takes three words to make it ok,” they're right. Just three words. “I do believe.” “Help me Jesus.” “I miss you.” “Please forgive me.” “I love you.” “see you later.”

I'll see you later, Papa. I do love you.