Letters from my Grandfather

January 31, 1984

Dear Tyler,

I’ll bet you don’t know where I found, what I thought was, one of your “space” people- under the seat of the car!  You left it, or lost it, when you were visiting us here last year. As it turns out, it isn’t a space person at all, but a famous person from our history.  I remember now when you had it with you and thought at the time that it was great for you to have something like this, particularly with our flag-I will save and keep it.

 ---later—later---later 

FEB 28^th,

You can see from the dates that a month has gone by and I am not a very good letter writer.  However,  we did get the wallpaper done and a hundred other things! The fact that you told us about “Star Wars” when we talked on the telephone, means that I must finish and thank you for telling us about it.  How did you like it?  I have never seen anything like it, except “Return of the Jedi”, which I saw with your mom. You would like this one too, and I know you will get a chance to see it sometime.

                I know that you are being a real good guy at school and then next year will be the year when you can really do well and have fun too because this will be the start of the great adventure-learning about things!  You have done so well already, but you can really start to go next year. (I wish I had it to do all over again. I would have more friends to start with, and then later, more girlfriends!  I would learn what the word “Love” meant too, because when and where I grew up, if you loved someone, it meant that you had to marry them or would marry them someday. Of course, the word doesn’t mean that at all, and if we could all first love one another, this would make for a different world.)  Anyhow, I know that you are looking forward to the new adventure, and I hope you never get bored.

                From the weather reports I know that you are really getting some use out of that sled-if the snow isn’t too deep. But at least this time you can get all of the snow you want.  Personally, I like snow just in pictures, but even so, I would like to be there and help you play in it. Mimi and I can’t wait until you learn to write, and then you can send us a letter or two.

Love to you all,

Papa

July 12, 1988

Dear Tyler,

I hope that you had a good trip and a good visit. Now you can come home to a brand new brother.  Just think what this will mean to both you and your brother. I didn’t say “little” brother because he is real small and very young.  And just like everything that I very young it is necessary that they have all the help, and love, and attention that they can get because that is the only way that they can survive. So  there will be so much time given to him. Of course this won’t last forever. We all go through this when we are real young, so don’t be surprised when so much time is spent with him.

`The nice part is that you can help care for him, and help him, and later on play with him. Then will be the time when you can help guide him and really be a “big brother”. And he will look up to you and just love you.  In fact, he will already be looking up to you, although he is too little to know who is he and who you are.  The only thing he knows right now is ”Mother”-that’s where the food is, and that is survival. All the very young are the same.

                We have just received some pictures today, and one is of you, your mother,  and daddy Jeff.  They are all smiles and you are holding up an award from the school! This award is just about the greatest  and states that it is for “outstanding” personal growth and achievement for the past year at school.  The word “outstanding” means that it stands out from all the rest and is the best that can be done.  What a great year you have had and what a record year you have made. We are so proud of you we can hardly stand it!  Especially when it means that you have used your time so well and have so much to show for it. And you have done so well to, in the scouts.

                You have so much to be thankful for-and your mother and daddy Jeff can be proud of you too. Because they have helped you make it possible. Ad now, in addition, you have a brother. You can spend the years helping and loving him, and he in turn will love you and give you much pleasure.

Love you, Papa