Friends & Family
One final lesson from my grandmother
Funerals are not fun. In fact, nobody ever looks forward or wants to go to them. The longer you can go without attending one, the better.
Unfortunately last week that’s where I found myself. My grandmother passed away at 87.
She was my last living grandparent and I’ll cherish all the memories with her. All the fun I had at her farm and the wonderful food she made. I can still taste her homemade bread that I would toast and then spread her homemade strawberry jam on. She always sliced three pieces of bread for me because she knew how much I loved it. No matter the time of the day that I stopped, she would bring it out.
I always enjoyed just sitting down to talk and have conversations with her and my grandpa when he was alive. It took me until later in life to understand that grandparents have all the wisdom to share.
The last time I saw her was at Christmas. She was full of life and smiles. My kids took a wonderful final picture with her, not knowing it would be her last. She made a comment to me about raising my kids that turned out to be advice that I play over and over in my head because she was so right.
That wasn't the first time that a comment or something that she said stuck in my head and provided life changing advice or offered a different outlook on something. It didn’t matter how old I was or where I was, words from grandma still come to mind.
As I traveled back to my hometown, which is about an hour from where I live now. I wondered who I would all see. Even though it isn’t that far away, I don’t make it back very often. I still catch myself referring to it as home, even thought I haven’t lived there in almost 20 years.
It turned out I saw many people from my childhood. People I haven’t seen in over 25 years. The handshakes and the hugs provided joy. You’d talk to people like you just saw them and are picking right back where you left off. It’s like you didn’t miss a beat. That’s a sign of true friendship.
Sure everyone is a little older with more grey hairs but the memories that are shared still remain. I could have sat there all day and talked with old friends, schoolmates and family members. I almost didn’t want it to end. Not wanting a funeral to end?
Yes, I know. A weird realization. But I believe this was one last lesson from my grandma.
It’s the friends and family that really make life. No matter how long you go without seeing them, they’re still your friends and family. The hugs and handshakes are still the same. Even the context and subjects of your conversations are the same. All that has been in the way was time.
Time that we all never seem to have enough of. But time with friends and family is in fact limited. Sadly as we go through life the time spent with both slowly slips away.
Life is busy. People have kids, move away, change jobs and life happens. Some have the focus of jobs, money and success. To some that consumes and directs their life. When I think of that, I always remember this picture.
Through it all, the ups and downs, your friends and family are there. No matter how old they are, how far away they live, or how long goes between seeing each other, they’re still friends and family.
I never understood why so many people would move back to their hometowns. Everyone always seemed to say they wanted to move away and get out. Why would they go back? Why do they want to return where they once grew up? I now know why.
Priorities change. Life changes. I think there are points in life where what we think is important, or what we think people will remember, are in fact wrong.
No physical items of this life will go with you. It’s the memories, handshakes and hugs with those friends and family that survive.
Reach out, call or go see those friends and family that you haven’t seen in some time. Share one of those I haven’t seen you in so long hugs. Trust me, it hits differently. Bring those people together and share the love and friendships.
Don’t wait for a funeral to bring everyone together. You never know whose funeral it will be.
Thank you for the one last lesson grandma. Love you.
The Coffee Table ☕
Ben Carlson wrote a touching tribute to his brother who passed away at 46 from pancreatic cancer. Another great reminder about how precious life is. There Goes My Hero.
I really liked Claudia Sahm’s piece on inflation in Stay-At-Home Macro (SAHM). Inflation. How worried should we be? Claudia always does such a good thorough job explaining inflation and the economy. I love her final paragraph.
The bigger worry that the hot January CPI reinforces is the inflation that new cost shocks such as tariffs could cause. Inflation remains elevated, and businesses have had experience raising prices to cover costs in recent years. In this environment, the risks are greater that economic policies like tariffs, which raise business costs, will be passed on fully to consumers through higher prices.
Ever wonder what brand of vehicles leads the new auto sales? Here is a good visual that shows the automaker maker share in the U.S.
Source: Evan
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