A good day

Last Friday, March 30, 2007, my grandfather died suddenly of a heart attack. His name was William Sterling Redman, Sr. Bill Redman. Papa. He went by a lot of names, but had pretty much the same identity with everyone. When you knew Bill, you knew a guy who was the same with everyone. A straight shooter, plain talker, always told it like he saw it, and most of the time the way he saw it was pretty much the way it was.

He was a World War II veteran, was married to the same woman for almost 70 years, built at least 3 successful businesses, lived to not only see his great-grand kids, but also his great-great-grandkids, and was still working at the age of 90. In fact, when he died last Friday, he was out working his job in Orlando, making deliveries for the Celebration company. He died like we all expected him to, on the job and immdediately. Most people didn't know that for years his heart had only operated at about 30% capacity, but he still went at it every day, up at 4:30 every morning, and out the door before 6:00. He had more energy and drive than a lot of people I know who are half his age. He had no quit in him, and lived life wide open, with one of the biggest smiles you've ever seen.

He was tough, demanding, honest, tender, funny and generous. He lived his faith in the best way I know how- fully human, without a bunch of useless or ridiculous crap that has nothing to do with being a person of faith. He was the same kind of man as is described in a recent John Mayer quote about Eric Clapton: "The man is absolutely bullshit-free." That was my grandfather.

Yesterday I stood over his casket before the funeral and put my hands on his and said the only words I could say, but they were also the only words I needed to say: "Thanks for everything." Later, at the Floriday National Cemetary where he was laid to rest with thousands of other American heroes, I stood between his casket and the people who had come to tell him goodbye and tried my best to honor my grandmother's request of saying the final words over him. Among a few other things, I said that were all thankful. Thankful for a life well-lived, for the long shadow he cast that we were all covered by, thankful for his humanity, and thankful to the God who gave him to us. We then gave him back to Him, full of thanks. It was a good day.