November 17, 2020 is a day that I will never forget. It was a day that will forever hold a place in my heart, and a day that I will always look back on. It was the day I lost one of the most important people in my life…my grandpa. If you’re like me, grandpas play a huge role in your life, and life without them just does not seem right. My grandpa was for sure one of the very best, and I want to brag about him.

He was one of the biggest supporters I had, and never missed a softball game. He could barely see, and his hearing was absolutely awful. However, that never prevented him or gave him an excuse to miss a softball game. I would look over every time I stepped on the field, and every time there he was ready to cheer me on. Even at my absolute worst games when I thought I was the worst athlete in the world, he was always there to reassure me that I did great and that he was proud of me. I am positive that he had no clue what in the world was going on, but the point was that he was there and he showed up for me. Ever since softball got taken away last year due to Covid, this is what he said to me every time he saw me: “I am ready to see you back up on that mound again.” I wish with all my heart he could see me back up on that mound again, but I know that he is still with me. 

He had his toughness and his seriousness, but he had a soft spot that all of us grandkids knew how to get to. Spending the night at his house when I was little, I used to walk into his room in the morning ringing bells to wake him up. Now that I am older and realize how nice it is to sleep, I am shocked that he never once got annoyed with me over it. He always woke up excited to see us grandkids, and not to sound conceited, but I think us grandkids are definitely the ones who made him so soft. 

Grandpa never got tired of seeing us even though I think we drove him crazy sometimes. Whenever we would go to leave his house, he would tell us to come back soon. And you could not pull out of the driveway without seeing him wave goodbye to you either from the window, or from the driveway. 

I wish that he could be here for my final softball game and for my graduation, and I wish that I could see him one last time. I know that he would love watching all his grandkids go forward in life, but God had different plans. My grandpa will forever hold a special place in my heart, and will never be forgotten. I am playing this softball season for him. If you have a grandpa, make sure to give him a long hug, because you never know when the last time will be the last. In the midst of every situation though, God is still good and is never letting go.