I Love You

Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love  Mother Teresa

It was back in the 1960's somewhere. I was about four. I think my family was in Indiana, visiting my maternal grandfather's parents. They were in their 80's or 90's. Or so it seemed to a kid like me. I count it fortunate to have met them. Not many can say that, unless your mom had you when she was 14. And, that does happen. I have students where that was the case.  

We are all in a train of ancestors, many of whom had much harder lives than us. Working on the railroad back in the days of coal and steam was my great-grandfather's job from what I recall. Surely, not as hot as hell but mighty close. Jobs that would cause us to file complaints with OSHA. It was a way of life. You worked hard in dangerous conditions. It was better than starving or dying.

As we prepared to leave, I went up to the mantle on the fireplace and fished around for a candy heart that said "I Love You" and gave it to my great-grandfather and he began to cry. Although these candies proliferate and populate candy bowls around Valentines, I remember it being summer so they had probably been laying around for a while. Love never goes stale.

My mom remembers him being touched. She comments that she saw the ending of one life and the beginning of another briefly sharing the same rails of affection. It was perhaps one of the purest and loving things I have ever done. In my child-like simplicity, somehow I knew a small gesture such as that would move him deeply. So, I did it. And we went our way.