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the first thanksgiving meal I had

prepared but it was by far, the most important to me. My husband, our three year

old daughter and I had only been living in our new house for a little over a year,

and this would be grandpa's first visit to our new home.

Nevertheless, my grandfather inspected our home and yard, when I got his approval

all was right in my life. I had a loving and strong husband whom my grandfather

loved and a beautiful daughter who Grandpa could not love more if she were his own.

Thanksgiving dinner went on with out a hitch. Dinner was fantastic, we ate, talked,

laughed and listened to the stories of old my grandfather and father shared. As the

children played in the background. I knew I was in heaven, surrounded by my dear

family.

My grandfather mentioned that his back was aching, but he shrugged it off, he said

it must have been the long drive. It would be only a few short months later that we

found out the real cause of Grandpa's back aches. My grandfather had lung cancer.

Grandpa had an operation to remove the cancer a few months after that, but it was

too late the cancer had spread through out his chest. My entire family came from

far and wide to visit my Grandfather in Houston. We all talked to him, we urged him

not to give up but it seemed to bee of no use, he was leaving us and there was

nothing we could do to save him. Oh How I wanted to save him. I traveled numerous

times with my three year old and my parents to visit my ailing grandfather who lived

four hours away. In spite of his weak state we knew that our visits brought him much

joy. It seemed as though momentarily, Grandpa would forget about his cancer and the

chemotherapy, he would immerse himself in our visits. Grandpa enjoyed every minute

of the time he had with us.

One Day he asked me to take a walk with him in his beautiful yard. I held his arm

and could feel his once strong arm was now weak and frail. Grandpa and I talked

under his favorite pecan tree. He told me how he remembered holding me, his first

grandchildfor the very first time and how he loved me, was honored to have held my

daughter,his first great-grandchild when she was born. He told me how much joy I

brought to his life, and now he wanted to share something of his with me. Grandpa

then showed me a row of flowers that he had planted when he began his new life in

Houston over twenty years before. Grandpa handed me a small hand shovel and

instructed me to pull a flower out by its bulb. He told me to take a part of him

with me to my home and plant it. My grandpa told me that like a beautiful family

that this bulb would grow and show its beauty as long as it was well cared for.

Only a month later I said goodbye to my Grandpa for the last time. My Grandpa

Carlos lost his battle with lung cancer in July of 2003. I have two daughters now,

and four years later I still I still have the flower that he gave me, planted by my

favorite pecan tree in our back yard. I will always treasure the memory of my

grandfather and the last gift he gave me. The beautiful flower has multiplied just

like my family, and the love my grandfather gave me blooms on, in my heart and in my

home and in my garden.

Learn more about this author, Melissa Quin.
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