Friday, August 1, 2014

Identity


David Lamb was a joyful man of many talents. He loved to tell jokes to lighten up a room, sing and strum a guitar to lift heavy spirits, go on a boating adventure to reel in elusive fish and carve wooden mementos that would last for generations. Having earned diplomas in industrial arts and engineering from three universities, he also enjoyed sharing his knowledge. He was always active, never slowing down if he could help it. His love of activities was almost as great as the love he had for his family.

Last Wednesday, the only grandfather I knew as a child slipped away quietly, leaving this legacy behind him.

As I reflect on the time I spent with him, I think about things he shared with me that I didn't think much of at the time. Despite me not being much of an outdoors kid, he was eager to take me out on his pier and cast a line just so I could experience the challenge of getting a catch. Later on, he gave me a tackle box filled with lures and other fishing bits so I could be a fisherman like him. Even though that box ended up on a shelf in my parents' garage, it still holds the kindness he showed me on the day he passed it on to me. I was also not much of a singer but that didn't matter to him. Occasionally when he had his karaoke studio playing some of his favorite country hits, he pulled me in for backup vocals. I bristled at first, but as I sang with him, I let go of my embarrassment and enjoyed the music. 

If there is one thing to take away from these memories, it's that in everything he did, my grandfather always stayed true to himself. He didn't care what other people thought because he knew what he stood for. That's something he left that I'll carry with me for the rest of my days. I've tried to be like others, thinking that things like drawings done by my hand or stories fabricated from my mind would somehow make me feel more fulfilled. The truth is that I was just faking an identity instead of appreciating my true one. I believe my grandfather realized this about himself and that's why he lived with such passion. I will go forward remembering this and looking forward to seeing him again in heaven.