Tribute To Granpa

Mummy sent me an sms, telling me to write an eulogy for my maternal grand father who passed on in the first week of September. I was blank and I'm still quite blank bout what to say bout him. I'm not really good with elderly people but my grandfather is the only one I've been able to get along with. Not like we always spent time together or really did big things together but there was this aura that made me feel drawn to him in love. Maybe it was the fact that he featured in the stories of my mother's histories and there were quite a number of stories. Or maybe the mystery of the eventuality of the stories of the characters in my mother's stories of her history. I know his name to be Zaccheaus Fagbohungbe, I knew him to be gentle and patient though the stories painted him a no nonsense father of his age and time. I knew him for his wits and humor that I found quite intriguing for an old man, and the way he got conversations going with keen interest showed how much he cared to be a part of the lives God placed around him and blessed him with. I remember how he kept in touch with his children, just in case they had forgotten him he did not forget them and always still accepted them, no matter how they were, whether or not they were taking the right steps or making the right decisions he didn't reject them but accepted them in love, correcting them if they would have him do and giving them room to make their own mistakes and grow, and when they came back once bitten and twice shy, he never says "I told you so!" That's a Father. Now, my heart sober and eyes close to tears, I recall his laughter, I admired it and the fact that he was a good patient teacher, who liked to teach people, how to do little things paying attention to the details. My moment with Grandpa was the day I resumed at my second secondary school as a transfer  and new student in my JSS 2 some few years back. Personally that was a moment of a turn around change for me as I was going through some things emotionally and not so prepared for it all. Grandpa was there, grandma and my mother too as I was being checked in as a new student and said farewell to the only family I had physically present, with his presence I was reminded that I was not alone and he wished me the best, he loved and did care about me having to deal with change, no matter what kind. No wonder there was something about him I may not be able to place my hands on but keeps making me love him and it keeps the memory lingering. Grandpa, I know you died desiring more love and affection than you got from the ones you love the most, your refusal to deny yourself or your love would keep me in the fight to keep loving and treating others the way I believe is right no matter how they treat me. I wish you could still be here with us to see me make you proud, I love you and would keep these few memories of you praying that I use them make other lives better. Goodnight Grandpa.