Passing on a Tradition

Gordon Lee Burnside

My grandfather was the type of man who loved children, even those he didn't know. In the morning, he would go to the bank and get a roll of quarters that he would hand out to children at restaurants or any public place. He could start a conversation with anyone and always had a smile on his face.

As a major tom boy, I always looked forward to visiting my grandfather and partaking in woodworking projects, fishing, anything that involved spending time with him. I grew up looking forward to deer hunting season when my grandfather, my dad, and I (and sometimes a cousin or friend) would spend a weekend sitting up against a tree, eating, and listening to my grandfather's stories with a 300 savage just in case we saw a deer. (We rarely saw a deer, and it didn't seem to bother anyone.)

Almost 15 years ago, my grandfather passed away suddenly just two weeks after my grandmother's passing. Words can't express how May 1995 changed my life and the life of my family's forever. Years later, in an attempt to heal the wounds and accept one of the greatest losses in our lives, we started placing quarters at my grandparents' gravesite.

This past weekend, we took Rai to my grandparents' gravesite to mount a repaired vase as well as to continue our family tradition. I know Rai doesn't understand everything, but he understands more than I generally expect. I told him that this was Mommy's Grandpa and Grandma, and we said "Hi" to the tombstones. (Rai also said "Hi" to the little deer near my grandfather's tombstone.) Still a bit sleepy from the drive, Rai placed the quarters down on each side and stood there with me for a second. It's a moment I'll remember forever. My grandfather would have loved to meet Rai.











“Death is a part of all our lives. Whether we like it or not, it is bound to happen. Instead of avoiding thinking about it, it is better to understand its meaning. We all have the same body, the same human flesh, and therefore we will all die. There is a big difference, of course, between natural death and accidental death, but basically death will come sooner or later. If from the beginning your attitude is 'Yes, death is part of our lives,' then it may be easier to face.” - Dalai Lama