Today would have been my grandfather’s 93rd birthday. He was killed 18.5 years ago by someone with an expired visa, high and drunk, driving on the wrong side of the highway in the morning.
But, aside from the multiple PSAs I could create from this story, my “Grandpa Pie” taught us a much larger lesson in life: how to share.
See, Grandpa was born in 1928. That means he was raised during the Great Depression, served in WW II, and provided for a family of three rambunctious boys and one wild girl (my Mom) in a rapidly changing world (Summer of Love, anyone?). He was resourceful and always seemed to have more than enough for everyone. He was also really good at dividing up the last piece of whatever was being served- even if we were all stuffed!
What does this have to do with money?
My grandparents epitomized the Abundance mindset. They never seemed to worry where the money would come from. There was always plenty of food, they changed cars, houses, and furniture often. We always left with our bellies full and some money in our pockets- not that they ever had to pay us to visit! They would give away the things they no longer wanted or needed to those who needed them. Sometimes they would pretend to charge us, but they always wiped the debt clean well before it was fully paid. And they gave us unconditional love and support (except when us cousins poked holes in their drop ceiling while playing some now-forgotten game).
Perhaps when you are raised with so little is it easy to appreciate everything and just know things will work out. I saw a guy on youtube the other day complaining because his new car does not have remote start, so he has to go out, start the car, wait for it to warm up or cool down, then go back out and drive (oh, gasp, the horror! 😲). I think he is too young to remember when cars did not even have air conditioning!
Today the majority of adults, and even teens and children, are worried about not having enough, mostly enough stuff. This leads to depression, anxiety, digestive disorders, and a host of other problems.
So today, in honor of my Grandpa’s birthday, take a moment to look out and see all the abundance in the world. Look at the abundance of leaves on the trees, of grass in your yard, of sand on the beach, of oxygen in the sky, of groceries in the store, and so on. We have everything we need. We just have to recognize it, appreciate it, and decide it will be ours. The thing we tend to overlook is the gratitude part.
One thing I am grateful for is the technology we have available to bring us together, no matter where in the world we are.
What are you grateful today?
And, if you are wondering why I call him “Grandpa Pie”, no one really remembers. It could have been my response to him calling me “sweetie pie”. However, he also loved to say “Jenny’s a piss pot. Grandpa’s a sweetheart” and, since I was really little I would respond “Grandpa’s a piss pot, Nenny’s a feetheart”, so I guess he is lucky not to be known as “Grandpa Piss Pot”…😂