I think children are like puzzles.
As they grow, you can see pieces of their parents, and the ancestors who came before them.
And it goes beyond hair color, eye color, the shape of your nose or size of your ears.
There are interests and qualities that develop over time.
I don’t have children yet, but I love watching them. Several of my friends have babies they’re seeing grow and change everyday.
But fast forward, twenty-five years…what will those children look like? What will they act like? What will be their passions?
I recently got the chance to get more of a glimpse at the pieces that make my husband who he is.
It all happened when we traveled to New York for his grandfather’s funeral. We stayed for five days so we could be there for his mother and try to help her handle all the affairs.
My experience in writing earned me the task of writing the obituary.
Imagine…having to tell the story of a man’s life without ever having met him.
It was a job I wasn’t really prepared for, but I was very happy to do it.
I learned a lot.
I asked questions about his childhood in Trinidad, his career, his family, and the things that made him happy. Then I got the chance to hear stories about the charming man with timeless good looks who loved to bowl, travel, dance, and make sure everyone around him was always having a good time.
I soon realized I could’ve used that same description to describe my husband.
There’s no doubt, I think my husband’s handsome. But it was nice to see where he got some of his personality.
In that regard, he’s the spitting image of his grandfather.
He’s always the life of the party and the person who wants to make sure everyone is alright.
He’s the one who will stay on the dance floor until the music stops.
He’s the one who will keep bowling until you can pry the ball or Wii controller from his hands.
He’s the one who likes to take to the skies and see what’s beyond his four walls.
It was sad to see my husband as he mourned the loss of his grandfather, but it was nice to see him discover the pieces he left behind.
I can’t wait to see if we will find some of those pieces in our children, as well.
