If someone would ask me who my biggest inspiration is in life, I would not have to think about that question for one second.
It would be you.
At some times I feel so sorry for the fact you're not here anymore, not only because you were my grandfather and I loved you so much, but also because you were an inspirational human being, and I could have learned so much more from you in the future.
You always used to learn me things, to teach me, by telling me what you knew. I now feel stupid for not listening sometimes, or not listening good enough to remember what you had told me. You told me about squares when I was nine. We sat in our garden and you told me a story about a king who made a deal with an ignorant farmer. The king made the farmer promise he would do something for him (what that was, I forgot), but only if each day, the farmer would give him double the amount of sacks of grain that he had given him the day before that. Starting with two sacks. We drew a square on a white piece of paper and we busied ourselves the entire afternoon. It was great.
Though I am not at all a mathematical genius now.
You always asked me what subject we were discussing at history, or what I had learned that day. I told you and knew I could expect a lecture. They were never boring, but I was a child and sometimes too restless to listen to all of it. I feel bad about that now, but I know I am actually not to blame, if I am being honest with myself.
The second thing why I found (and find) you so inspirational, is because of your respect for everyone and anything around you. I know for sure you were prepared to listen to anyone's story and not judge. Not judge, because I think you knew you didn't know the whole story. You would just listen and be interested in what that person was saying, interested in what he or she was doing and feeling. And you could tell other people so enthusiasticly about your passions: cooking, hamradio, photographing.
I think you must have gained even more respect in people's minds and hearts when you threw a big party in honor of life. You sent an invitation with the text 'Nothing's worth more than today'. On the party, I saw and felt how much you did to (the lives of) other people. You have inspired them all, as you have done me.. I don't know if this has ever made you proud, but you must certainly have felt the regard people had for you, how lovely it was for everyone to be around you.
I honestly can't do anything but be honored to be your granddaughter and pleased to have been around you this big a part of my life. I am thankful for the memories.
Opa, I miss you.
You were the most beautiful person I have ever known.