Lunch is on me

I have lots of memories of my granddad.

The war stories. The golf lessons. The "father-son" talks. But the most recent memory I have of my grandfather is perhaps the one I will treasure the most.

For the last couple of years, I have been having lunch about twice a week with him, going to one of his favorite places to eat, talking about life in general, sharing sports scores and news, and just spending quality time together. And come to think about it, I get to hear a few war stories, too.

And for me, even though it may only be for 30 minutes to an hour each time, it is time that is extremely special to me. And I think he would agree that it has been special for him as well.

Our lunches are also special because they are a way for us to talk about his wife of nearly 60 years, my grandmother, who passed away about six years ago. He has been very lonely since then, and I miss her very much as well, so our lunches allow for some healing and closure as we share memories of a great woman who had such a lasting effect on our lives.

Even if we don't have much to say, we still enjoy the time spent eating quietly and getting away from the drama and confusion that surrounds our daily lives.

My granddad is in pretty good health for a man 87 years of age, but I do not know how many days, months or years I will be able to share that time with him, which is why our lunches are so close to my heart. To think that one day those lunches will come to an end is a frightening thought for me.

But I will cherish the time I have with him, because he has been many things to me, a father, a grandfather, a mentor, and a friend.

So, grandpa, thanks for some great memories and I'll see you next week...lunch is on me.